Address: 151-199 N. Desplaines St. Year Built:
Event occurred May 4, 1886
Architect: Date Designated a Chicago Landmark:
March 25, 1991
A decade of strife between labor and industry culminated here in a confrontation that resulted in the tragic death of both workers and policemen. On May 4, 1886, spectators at a labor rally had gathered around the mouth of Crane's Alley (east side of Desplaines, just north of Randolph), named for an industrial plant that stands east of the site. A contingent of police approaching on Desplaines Street were met by a bomb thrown from just south of the alley. The resultant trial of eight activists gained worldwide attention for the labor movement, and initiated the tradition of "May Day" labor rallies in many cities.
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