On this special May Day episode of Read and Reflect, we dive into Martin Duberman’s powerful novel Haymarket—a literary retelling of the 1886 Haymarket affair that helped ignite the global labor movement.What really happened on that fateful day in Chicago’s Haymarket Square? Who were the men and women—radicals, immigrants, martyrs—who fought and died for the eight-hour workday, for workers’ dignity, and for the right to speak truth to power?Published in 2003, Haymarket is more than historical fiction—it’s a haunting, deeply human account of class struggle, political repression, and the fight for justice. Through vivid storytelling and unforgettable characters like Lucy and Albert Parsons, Duberman shows us that the battle for workers' rights was never just about wages—it was about the soul of democracy.🔥 On this International Workers’ Day, we reflect on:The historical roots of May 1st and its connection to the labor movementThe brutal aftermath of the Haymarket bombingThe radical voices that were silenced—and the ideas that lived onWhy these lessons matter today in an age of gig work, union busting, and authoritarian resurgenceFrom the gallows to the picket line, this story still burns with urgency.💥 “The state does not fear bombs—it fears ideas that catch fire.”📚 Featured Book: Haymarket by Martin Duberman🎧 Hosted by Jason SmithHaymarket Affair, May Day, International Workers Day, labor history, Martin Duberman, workers rights, Lucy Parsons, Albert Parsons, anarchism, historical fiction, 8-hour workday, labor movement, Read and Reflect podcast, political fiction, union history, radical history, workers’ struggle, May 1st, Chicago Haymarket