A couple of weeks ago, I started research for a poster commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Haymarket incident in Chicago in which eight policemen were killed (mostly by friendly fire) and dozens of protesters were killed or injured. Though I'm a lifelong resident of the area, I was a little ashamed at how little I knew about this violent and pivotal event in the history of workers' rights. When the poster is completed, I'll post it along with some background on the events of that time.

In the meantime, the images coming out of Egypt capture the anger of the Egyptians in their struggle for freedom. Today, at what is called the "Day of Departure" rally, thousands of citizens are protesting peacefully while just blocks away, violent confrontations continue. Hopefully the situation will find a peaceful resolution soon.

Here are a few quick sketches inspired by some of the recent images out of Cairo: