May 4, 1886: Police kill 8 and wound 60 after a bomb was thrown during the Haymarket protests



During the Civil War, Chicago emerged as a major industrial center in the United States. Thousands of recently arrived immigrants flocked to the city, working in the numerous factories located in the city. During the subsequent decades, conditions experienced by the workers increasingly grew worse. The average worker could work up to 60 hours per week, taking home about $1.50 a day. In order to address the worsening conditions, workers began to seek collection action. However, most employers disallowed their workers from joining unions. Throughout the 1880’s, many workers found solace in the Socialist and Anarchist organizations that were springing up around the world.

On May 1 1886, factory workers throughout the United States marched in collective protest for the introduction of an eight-hour workday. On May 3, workers gathered near the McCormick Harvesting Machinery factory in Chicago. Many prominent pro-union speakers addressed the crowd throughout the day. As the 3rd turned into the 4th, more protesters joined the gathering throng. At about 10:30 at night, the police arrived on scene to break up the protest. At some point during the ruckus, a makeshift bomb was thrown, killing one of the officers and mortally wounding 6. In response, the police fired into the crowd killing 8 and wounding 60 of the protesters. The Haymarket Affair remains the deadly example of labor unrest in United States history.

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