I recently had the honor of creating a gig poster promoting a show at the Old Town School of Folk Music headlined by folk musician Bucky Halker marking the 125th anniversary of Chicago's Haymarket Affair and to raise awareness of workers' rights. The details of the event have filled several books, but the basic facts are as follows:
• On May 4th, 1886, a rally was held at Chicago's Haymarket square to demand workers' rights, among them a standard eight hour workday. • An unknown person threw a bomb which killed one police officer and injured several more. • In the confusion which followed, seven more officers were killed and many other police and civilians injured, most as a result of friendly fire. • After a corrupt and hastily arranged trial of eight labor activists, four were hanged and a fifth commited suicide in prison. • In 1893, Gov. John Peter Altgeld concluded that all eight men were innocent, and issued their pardons.