Michael Schwab

Biography

Michael Schwab was a labor activist whose unwavering commitment to justice led him from his native Europe to the heart of the American workers’ movement. He became one of the most prominent voices calling for fair working conditions and was closely associated with the Haymarket affair, a tragic episode that deeply affected labor rights discourse.

Convicted in a fraught trial, he spent his final years advocating for the cause he believed in, maintaining dignity amid hardship. Schwab’s remains rest at the Haymarket Martyrs' Monument, where his legacy continues to remind observers of the enduring struggle for social and economic justice.