Lucy Parsons (1851–1942) was a labor organizer, writer, public speaker, and cofounder of the Industrial Workers of the World. She was of Black, Mexican, and, likely, Native American ancestry. Parsons published Life of Albert R. Parsons in 1889 and a collection of her writings, Lucy Parsons: Freedom, Equality and Solidarity – Writings and Speeches, 1878–1937, was published in 2004.
David R. Roediger is author of Wages of Whiteness, Towards the Abolition of Whiteness, and is coeditor of Haymarket Scrapbook. He has been active in the surrealist movement, labor support, and anti-racist organizing.
Voltairine de Cleyre (1866–1912) was the first prominent American-born anarchist. From her writings and speeches, through the illnesses that plagued her, the assassination attempt that left her clinging to life, to her early death at forty-five, she worked tirelessly to promote anarchism.
August Spies (1855–1887) was a German-born anarchist, editor of the Arbeiter-Zeitung, labor activist, and upholsterer by trade. He was hanged on November 11, 1887.
Michael Schwab (1853–1898), born in Germany, was a bookbinder by trade and associate editor of the Arbeiter-Zeitung, and was later pardoned by Illinois governor John Altgeld.
Oscar Neebe (1850–1916) was born in New York City, and settled in Chicago in 1877 with his family, was office manager of the Arbeiter-Zeitung, and was later pardoned by Illinois governor John Altgeld.
Adolph Fischer (1858–1887) was born in Germany and immigrated to the US at the age of fifteen. He was a member of the International Working People's Association, a typesetter for the Arbeiter-Zeitung, and was hanged on November 11, 1887.
Louis Lingg (1864–1887) was born in Germany, apprenticed as a carpenter, and was active in his union. He died on November 10, 1887, after ingesting a blasting cap smuggled into his cell by Dyer D. Lum.
George Engel (1836–1887) emigrated to the US from Germany in 1873, moving to Chicago in 1876 where he operated a toy shop. Engel was a member of the International Working People's Association and was hanged on November 11, 1887.
Samuel Fielden (1847–1922) was born in England and settled in Chicago in 1869. Engel was a Methodist pastor, worked as a teamster, treasurer for the International Working People's Association, and was a labor activist. He served six years of his fifteen year sentence before being pardoned by Illinois governor John Altgeld.
Albert R. Parsons (1848–1887) moved from Texas to Chicago with wife Lucy in 1873, was a typesetter, labor leader, editor of The Alarm, member of the Knights of Labor, and in 1883 helped establish the International Working People's Association. He was hanged on November 11, 1887.