Haymarket Memorial

On May 4, 1886, a labor protest in Chicago’s Haymarket district turned deadly when an unknown person threw a bomb at police trying to disperse the crowd. The explosion killed seven officers and at least four civilians. In the aftermath, several activists were arrested and unjustly tried, though none were tied to the bombing.

Drawing on the symbolism of the wagon used as the speakers’ platform during the meeting, this sculpture by Mary Brogger marks the precise location where the wagon stood, and where the historic events occurred.

Over the years, the site of the Haymarket bombing has become a powerful symbol for a diverse cross-section of people, ideals and movements. Its significance touches on the issues of free speech, the right of public assembly, organized labor, the fight for the eight-hour workday, law enforcement, justice, anarchy and the right of every human being to pursue an equitable and prosperous life. For all, it is a poignant lesson in the rewards and consequences inherent in such human pursuits.

Illinois 250