The document summarizes the history and origins of May Day as an international workers' holiday. It began as a general strike in the US in 1886 to advocate for an 8-hour workday. On May 3rd, police fired into a crowd of striking workers in Chicago, killing 4. In response, an unknown person threw a bomb at police during a labor rally at Haymarket Square, though no defendants were directly connected to the bomb. This led to 8 anarchist labor leaders being arrested and tried for murder. Despite lack of evidence, all 8 were convicted and 7 were hanged. May Day commemorates these events and the labor movement's fight for workers' rights.

1. The History of
May Day

2. Pagan roots

4. But what about Labor Day?
• In its attempt to erase the history and
significance of May Day, the United States
government gave us instead Labor Day—a holiday
devoid of any historical significance other than a
three weekend holiday at the end of the summer.
• It is not surprising that the government, business
leaders, mainstream union leaders, and the
media would want to hide the true history of May
Day.

6. The fight for the 8 hour workday
• In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades
and Labor Unions passed a resolution stating
that eight hours would constitute a legal day’s
work from and after May 1, 1886. They would
accomplish this with a direct action – the
general strike!

7. The IWPA
• The heart of the movement was in Chicago,
organized primarily by the anarchist
International Working People’s Association
which believed in using education and direct
action to create a free and revolutionary
society based on the end of capitalism, the
end of inequality based on class, race and sex,
and where working and oppressed peoples
and communities were able participate and
have a meaningful voice in society.

8. Worker Strikes
By May 1st, the
movement had already
won gains for many
Chicago workers. Many
participated in strikes and
hundreds of thousands-
estimated between
300,000 and 1 million-
participated in marches
and parades on that day.

9. But on May 3, 1886,
police fired into a
crowd of strikers at the
McCormick Reaper
Works Factory, killing
four and wounding
many.
Police Response

11. Haymarket Square

13. The Witch Hunt
• Although its not known
who threw the bomb, the
incident was used as an
excuse to attack the entire
Left and labor movement.
• Police ransacked the homes
and offices of suspected
anarchists and socialists
and hundreds were
arrested without charge.

15. Eight of Chicago’s most
active leaders in the
movement—Albert Parsons,
August Spies, George Engel,
Adolph Fischer, Louis Lingg,
Michael Schwab, Samuel
Fielden and Oscar Neebe—
were charged with
conspiracy to murder in
connection with the
Haymarket bombing.
Anarchy on Trial

16. Guilty
All eight anarchists were
found guilty, despite a lack
of evidence connecting any
of them to the bomb-
thrower (only one was
even present at the
meeting, and he was on
the speakers’ platform).

18. Lingg committed suicide in his cell with an
explosive shortly before his scheduled
execution on November 10, 1887.
He used a blasting cap smuggled to him by a
fellow prisoner. He put it in his mouth and lit
it at 9:00 AM. It blew off his lower jaw and
damaged a large portion of his face. He
survived for another 6 hours, until his death
at around 3:00 PM

19. Four of the Chicago anarchists being
hanged in Cook County Jail.

25. Inspired labor movement

26. Among the revolutionary supporters of the next
generation that were inspired by the Haymarket martyrs
was Emma Goldman.