Honoring the legacy of the men and women who have been a part of labor history is one of the reasons people gather at the Haymarket Martyrs’ Monument in Forest Home Cemetery every May 1, or May Day.
The monument has been a gathering place since it was erected 1893 when the Pioneer Aid and Support Association first honored the men who were hanged, died, were imprisoned and unjustly arrested for their activism during a period when there were few laws or protections for workers’ rights, wages or working hours.
The Haymarket Affair was a pivotal moment in not just Chicago, but it would influence American and International labor up until today.
The Historical Society of Forest Park provided an updated outdoor exhibit at the monument and in the adjacent Radical Row, highlighting the activists, eight-hour workday fighters, progressives, anarchists, trade unionists, activists, socialists and others who have found common rest with their burials near the monument.
This year marked the release of the third edition of The Day Will Come, which was last released 11 years ago. The collaboration between Illinois Labor History and the Historical Society of Forest Park included volunteer, Amy Binns-Calvey, who leads tours at the monument each summer.
Binns-Calvey explained the need to revise the book. “There have been more burials since the last edition, including Mark Rogovin, who was instrumental in creating the first editions. In addition, the research is ongoing, and we had additions from people who were buried but we didn’t know they were connected and are now added to the guide.”
The new edition also includes Binns-Calvey’s history of Forest Home and Waldheim Cemeteries and a section about the 2016 exploration for the time capsule. “In addition, the map has been reformatted and designed to scale,” added Binns-Calvey, suggesting it would be easier to find graves with the map.
This year Forest Home Cemetery displayed a rare glimpse of original artifacts and documents related to the burials at Radical Row, giving visitors an opportunity to engage directly with the historical record.
The Historical Society honored Bleue Benton, librarian and researcher of the Haymarket Monument with the “Mark Rogovin Working Class Hero Award,” for her outstanding contributions to the Haymarket Monument research.
Binns-Calvey is continuing her monthly guided tour of the Haymarket Martyrs Monument and Radical Row on the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. through summer for those interested in learning more. Self-guided tours with the third edition of The Day Will Come, are always available. “It is best to experience it when you are moving around the Monument and Radical Row. You can stand at someone’s grave and have a visceral reaction as you read their brief biography and connect with the person,” said Binns-Calvey.