Chicago Haymarket Mass Meeting 1886

Chicago Haymarket Mass Meeting, May 1886

The flyer handed out before the fateful meeting at the Haymarket in Chicago during the struggle for an eight hour working day. The events at the meeting came to be known as the Haymarket Affair, and led to the persecution and execution of the Haymarket Martyrs. This version of the flyer included the advice: "Workingmen arm yourselves and appear in full force!", and is printed in both English and German.

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Radical posters before the 20th century were predominantly text-based, primarily used to advertise events, meetings, and demonstrations rather than relying on colourful graphic imagery to convey ideas. While some did incorporate sketches or cartoons, these were relatively modest compared to the bold visual styles that emerged later.

Although the technology for producing striking graphics existed at the time and was widely used in commercial advertising, such vivid and imaginative designs were less common in political posters. It wasn’t until later that the kind of dynamic, visually arresting imagery often associated with the Russian and Spanish Revolutions blossomed in radical posters.

The posters in our pre-20th century selection reflect this earlier approach – they focus squarely on delivering a direct message, often employing dramatic language and typography to capture attention and provoke thought.