Organized Labor
As industry grew, workers began to organize for better working conditions and fair wages. The history of the labor movement, which encompassed the entire industrialized world, is one of the most fascinating aspects of 19th century life. Workers and their unions would shake the foundations of industry, topple governments, and their struggles would define the emerging modern world.
The 1886 Haymarket Square Riot in Chicago
The riot in Haymarket Square in Chicago in May 1886 began when a bomb was thrown into a crowd of protesters. Police and civilians died and the American labor movement suffered a serious setback. Anarchists were arrested for the bombing, convicted and hanged, though their trial was later found to have been unfair.
The riot in Haymarket Square in Chicago in May 1886 began when a bomb was thrown into a crowd of protesters. Police and civilians died and the American labor movement suffered a serious setback. Anarchists were arrested for the bombing, convicted and hanged, though their trial was later found to have been unfair.
The Haymarket Affair
This online exhibit at the Library of Congress focuses on the violent confrontation between Chicago authorities and labor protesters in 1886. The Haymarket Riot would be a setback for labor and its effects were felt for years.
This online exhibit at the Library of Congress focuses on the violent confrontation between Chicago authorities and labor protesters in 1886. The Haymarket Riot would be a setback for labor and its effects were felt for years.