the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Jun 9, 2025
On May 1, 1886, a national strike for the eight-hour day engaged 350,000 workers. In Chicago at that time there was a strike going on against McCormick Reaper. On May 4, there was a peaceful support rally in Haymarket Square. Authorities immediately created a police riot. A cop was mysteriously killed in the police charge. Leaders of the union movement in Chicago came under attack. Eight anarchist revolutionaries were convicted of murder—with a specially chosen jury—but the only evidence submitted to the court was that they had organized the rally and issued posters advertising it! They committed no murder. Three death sentences were commuted. One killed himself in jail. Four were hung. In honor of these Haymarket Martyrs the international workers’ holiday of May 1—and still the fight for the eight-hour day—is celebrated worldwide. Only in this country, they changed Labor Day to the END of summer and eliminated the reference to eight hours, or Haymarket, or an international power.