Albert Parsons

Albert Richard Parsons born June 24, 1848 in Alabama.

Parsons fought in Confederate Army during the Civil war. He later regretted his support for slavery and personaly apologized to the black nanny that raised him as an orphan. Eventually, he married Lucy Waller, a black woman, and was forced by the KKK to leave Texas and moved to Chicago.

There he became a radical republican, labor activist and finaly an anarchist with the International Working People's Association (IWPA).

On May 1, 1886 Labor strife in Chicago culminated in a massive strike in support of the 8 hour day. Over the next few days 340,000 laborers joined the strike and many employers succumbed and granted the shorter work day.

Parsons addressed a rally at Haymarket Square on May 4th. Police requested the crowd to disperse. Violence erupted. A bomb killed four policmen. Seven Men were arrested. Parson, was sought and ultimately turned himself in to stand in solidarity with his comrades.

There were witnesses to testify that none of the eight threw the bomb. However, the trial was a sham and all were found guilty and sentenced to death.

Three asked for clemency and were pardoned by the Illinois Governor. Of the remaining five, Louis Lingg killed himself in his cell with a Cigar bomb but Parsons, August Spies, Adolph Fisher, and George Engel were hung on November 11, 1887.

As he faced his demise on the gallows Spies shouted out: "There will be a time when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today!"

In fact these words were prophetic, the whole dastardly affair became a rallying event for the world labor struggle. It is remembered every year on May Day parades throughout the world.