Haymarket Police Memorial Statue

Right in front of you, stands the Haymarket Police Memorial Statue. Now, how many of you have heard of the Haymarket Affair? This statue commemorates the tragic events of May 4, 1886. It all started with a peaceful labor rally in Haymarket Square, where workers demanded an eight-hour workday. The situation escalated into a riot, as tensions were already high after police officers had killed a worker and injured others the previous day. A bomb was thrown at the police, killing one officer, Mathias Degan, and injuring many others. It’s still unknown who threw the bomb.
This statue is actually not about the riot itself. It is a tribute to the police officers who died that night. The statue was originally erected in 1889 and moved several times, even being bombed twice in 1969 and 1970. Can you imagine that? It was eventually placed in the lobby of the old Chicago Police Headquarters and then in the Police Academy atrium. In 2007, after a major restoration, it finally found its permanent home right here, in front of the Chicago Police Headquarters.
The statue itself represents Captain William Ward, who was the leader of the police force at that time. The sculptor Johannes Gelert modeled the statue after a policeman directing traffic, giving us a snapshot of life in Chicago during those times. The statue is a constant reminder of the turbulent history of labor rights in Chicago. And that’s just one side of the story. We can continue our journey tomorrow to learn about the Haymarket Martyrs’ Monument, which honors a group of anarchists who were convicted and hanged for their role in the riot.