The Chris Moeller Archives

The May 4th Riot

One hundred and twenty years ago today, striking members of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions took their mass demonstration in Chicago to the Haymarket near the intersection of Randolph and Des Plaines Streets. The first day of May, 1886 had seen the deadline pass for inauguration of the eight-hour work day. During the fourth evening of severe provocation and harassment by police and demand for dispersement, a bomb exploded among the police, killing one instantly and wounding others. The cops responded by firing into the crowd of about 200 workers, inflicting many casualties.

In the aftermath, anti-labor forces demanded vengeance for the bombing, and the blame was directed specifically at the anarchists who had made speeches and published statements prior to the demonstration urging workers to arm themselves in self-defense. Eight men were brought to trial before a rigged jury and convicted without the prosecution having presented any material proof of guilt. After losing appeals, four of the victims-- Albert R. Parsons, August Spies, George Engel, and Adolph Fischer, were hanged. Another-- Louis Lingg, committed suicide. Michael Schwab and Samuel Fielden had death sentences commuted to life imprisonment, and Oscar Neebe received a 15-year prison term.

The trial of these men and the national pardon campaigns that followed spurred the global labor movement. The victims were martyred by the working class, and pardoned by the Illinois governor seven years later, with those serving prison terms released.

The eight-hour work day, of course, has long been the standard throughout America and the western world. The deadline date of its original implementation in 1886 has been remembered each year subsequent as International Workers Day, or May Day, throughout the world with the exception of the United States, and this year's Day Without Immigrants in the U.S.-- true to its roots and its ideals-- was organized for May 1st with this incident in mind.

posted by CM @ 8:13 PM