On May 4, 1886, a rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square escalated tragically when a bomb exploded, resulting in police violence and mass arrests targeting anarchist activists. Despite a rigged trial, the outcomes from this event galvanized labor movements across the country, contributing to the establishment of the eight-hour workday. Though the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 validated their struggles, the efforts for reduced work hours have stagnated in the last eighty years, highlighting ongoing labor issues that trace back to this historic protest.
The events in Chicago spelled the defeat of a nationwide general strike for the eight-hour day, which inspired International Workers' Day, celebrated globally.
Police illegally raided homes and union halls, arresting hundreds as the press egged them on, resulting in a rigged trial that led to the execution of eight anarchists.
#labor-movement #haymarket-affair #eight-hour-workday #student-journalism #international-workers-day
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