Radicals! (thread 19): Episode 4: Hanged for Ideas: The Execution of Albert Parsons

Come back with us to 1887 and meet Albert Parsons — a former Confederate turned anarchist who was hanged after the Haymarket bombing despite no solid proof he threw the bomb. It’s a gripping mix of politics, prejudice, and the fight for an eight‑hour workday.

We’ll unpack how Parsons became a scapegoat for radical ideas, how Haymarket reshaped labor history, and why punishing beliefs instead of crimes still feels dangerously relevant today. It’s messy, emotional, and oddly timely — let’s dig in together.