The Haymarket Riot

Illustration:The Haymarket Riot in Chicago, 1886

 On the rainy afternoon of May 4, 1886, 3,000 workers rallied in Chicago's Haymarket Square to protest poor working conditions and violence against striking workers. They listened quietly to speakers who advocated a shorter work day and better pay. Although Officials had feared that the demonstration might turn violent, they were reassured by the peacefulness of the rally. Police would not be needed, the mayor of Chicago decided.

Unfortunately, one police captain decided on his own to break up thelabor rally. He led 180 policemen slowly toward the demonstrators. Suddenly, a bomb was tossed at the police. Gunfire bust out from both sides, setting off a full scale riot. Seven policemen and at least two civilians were killed, and scores of people were injured. Because many of the leaders of the labor movement were immigrants, the Haymarket Riot set off a furious reaction against "foreign anarchists." Eight labor leaders were arrested. There was no evidence linking them to the bombing, but all were convicted, and four were hanged. Later, the govenor of illinois pardoned the rest, because their trial had been unfair. Haymarket set back the labor movement for awhile, but eventually, workers won the right to organize and strike for better conditions.

DID YOU KNOW....To this day, no one knows who threw the bomb at Haymarket Square.

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