Printing by Baxter Printing, 3837 Ridge Road, Highland IN 46322. (219) 923-1999, http://www.baxterprint.com/ P a g e 2 The Reporter Dear ILHS members and friends: park is named, It would be fair to say the ILHS is much there is about memory, but not in the passive sense. nothing on We engage the stimulation of our individual site to explain and collective memories in order to promote who Lucy is. The action. We stimulate memory through the city of Chicago is preservation of monuments and historical nearly void of statues and markers promoting sites, by the creation and participation in important women and their contributions and commemorative events and the promotion of Lucy should really be a household name in resources and human activities designed to tell Chicago. Alderman Reboyas has been slow to stories of important events primarily related to respond to our requests for assistance. Please labor history, which can be arguably called the feel free to call him! connective tissue of human endeavors. Finally, if my memory serves me well, I One endeavor your ILHS is working would be remiss if I didn’t remind all of you to toward is the funding and placement of a new join the ILHS and the Chicago Federation of headstone in Forest Home Cemetery just yards Labor at Haymarket Square at DesPlaines and from the martyrs. Nina Van Zandt Spies, the Randolph for this year’s May Day event at widow of Haymarket Martyr, August Spies. 2:30 pm for our annual celebration. The Her story is exceptional and is one of those Filipino Labor Federation, KMU, which that once again reminds us why the Haymarket means the May First Movement, will be our Affair (no pun intended) is remarkable as a guests and dedicate this year’s plaque. With human interest story as much as a story about the statue having been relocated back to its social change and world history. It is simply home and structurally improved we look amazing to me that after more than one forward to presenting plaques each and every hundred thirty years since the Haymarket year as we celebrate International Labor Day Affair most people don’t know this story that with its roots in Chicago. How many of your should make any top ten list of important friends, family and neighbors don’t know that events in American history. May Day is truly an American Holiday? Please go to our Facebook page to find out about Van Zandt Spies and contribute to Solidarity and Happy May Day everyone! our GoFundMe campaign to help get Nina settled in at Forest Home. There will be a commemorative event later this year dedicating the marker. While on the topic of markers the ILHS continues to build a campaign to promote an Larry Spivack historical descriptive marker or perhaps even a statue at Lucy Parsons Park on Chicago’s Northwest side, 4712 W. Belmont. While the Spring 2018 P a g e 3 P a g e 4 The Reporter Follow ILHS on twitter @ILLaborHistory #ILLaborHistory Spring 2018 P a g e 5 P a g e 6 The Reporter June 1, 2001 Would you be willing to risk your job to stand up for the rights you believe in? For postal worker April 2, 1909 May 4, 1886 Henry Gerber, the answer to that When you go shopping, do you Today in Labor History, May 4, the question was a resounding yes. Today remember to look for the union label? year was 1886. It was one of the most in Labor History, June 1, the year was Today in Labor History, April 2, the significant days in US labor history. 2001. On that day Gerber’s home was year was 1909. The American In Chicago a mass meeting was called designated as a Chicago Landmark in Federation of Labor launched its for that night in the city’s haymarket. recognition of his early leadership in “Union Label” department. The goal The purpose of the meeting was to the fight for homosexual rights. of the new department was to promote protest the police who had killed and Henry was born in Bavaria, Germany goods and services made by union injured strikers and at McCormick in 1892. He immigrated to the labor. Union labels, today often Reaper the day before. The Chicago in 1913. He served in the US referred to as union bugs, have a long organizers were also part of the Army in Germany for three years history. All the way back in the 1400s movement for the eight hour day. The during World War I. While in some European trade craft guilds used rally was much smaller than expected. Germany he was impressed with the visual symbols to represent their Rain began to fall. The last speaker push for homosexual-rights taking work. In the United States the union was concluding when a large force of place in that country after the war. label became more prevalent after the 200 police arrived with a demand that Returning to Chicago, Henry went to Civil War. The AFL sought to the meeting disperse. Someone, work as a postal worker. He also promote the use of such labels to build unknown to this day, then threw a founded the Society for Human solidarity among the labor movement. dynamite bomb into the ranks of the Rights. It is considered the first formal It was also a way to promote the advancing police. In their confusion, homosexual-rights organization in the quality of union goods and services to the police began firing their weapons United States. The organization the public. Thirty years after the label in the dark. The police killed at least distributed a publication “Friendship department was launched, AFL four in the crowd and wounded many and Freedom.” Yet due to repression, President Andrew Green explained more. A total of seven police men only two issues were ever produced. the importance of the effort. He said were killed, most felled likely by their The publication’s outspoken stance on that a union label was “emblematic of own gunfire. In the aftermath of the homosexual rights led the police to a high standard of living, of tolerable event, unions were raided all across arrest Henry and the other founders of conditions of employment, of those the country. The Eight-Hour the society. The police confiscated conditions surrounding working men Movement was effectively derailed. his papers as evidence. The men and women which makes for a higher Eight men were put on trial in stayed in jail for three days. Gerber and better standard of living.” In Chicago. Some were not even present would face three separate trials 1975 the International Ladies at the time the bomb was thrown. relating to his work for homosexual Garment Workers Union launched They were put on trial for their ideas. rights. Although he was never their “Look for the Union Label” Four of the men, Albert Parsons, convicted, his defense drained his campaign. Television ads and a catchy August Spies, George Engel, and finances. Then he lost his job for jingle helped promote the cause. Adolph Fischer were sentenced to alleged “conduct unbecoming a postal Today the AFL Label Department death by hanging. A fifth man, Louis worker.” The Society was effectively publishes lists of companies boycotted Lingg died under mysterious crushed. Gerber rejoined the Army, for not using union labor. They also circumstances in prison. The working as an editor and proofreader produce a bimonthly newsletter called remaining three went to prison, and for Army publications for nearly two the “Label Letter,” which features were eventually pardoned by Illinois decades. It was not until 1998 that information about modern day union Governor Altgeld in 1893. Before he President Bill Clinton signed labels. All of these efforts seek to was hung, August Spies declared, Executive Order 13087. That order raise consumer awareness about the “The day will come when our silence extended protection from labor that goes into the items and will be more powerful than the voices discrimination based on sexual services we purchase every day. It you strangle today.” His words orientation to US Postal Service helps shoppers make informed proved true. The Haymarket Martyrs workers. decisions about how they spend their inspired and continue to inspire labor money. activists throughout the world. Spring 2018 P a g e 7 P a g e 8 The Reporter Donate today! Login on to illinoislaborhistory.org Spring 2018 P a g e 9 Nina Van Zandt Spies was the site was never marked. In the midst widow of Haymarket Martyr, of updating the booklet, The Day August Spies. She was educated at Will Come, author Mark Rogovin Vassar College and fell in love with discovered the precise location of August Spies during the Haymarket her grave. ILHS is working with the trial. She helped August Spies write cemetery to place a marker for his autobiography and was her. We are raising funds, and will disinherited by her wealthy aunt plan an event to unveil the new because of Nina Spies' politics. gravestone as soon as it is finished Since her death in 1936, her burial being made. 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