Which radical leader was convicted and hanged due to his involvement in the Haymarket Affair?

The radical leader who was convicted and hanged due to his involvement in the Haymarket Affair is August Spies. Spies was one of eight anarchists accused of conspiracy in the aftermath of the Haymarket Square bombing in Chicago in 1886. This incident began as a peaceful rally in support of workers striking for an eight-hour workday but turned violent when a bomb was thrown at the police, resulting in deaths and injuries.

August Spies was a prominent figure in the labor movement and had been active in organizing for workers' rights. After the bombing, Spies and several co-defendants were tried in a highly publicized trial that was marked by widespread prejudice against anarchists and labor activists. In 1887, Spies and four others were sentenced to death even though there was no direct evidence linking them to the bombing itself. The trial was widely criticized for its lack of fairness and due process.

The significance of the Haymarket Affair and the subsequent trial and execution of Spies and others had a profound impact on the labor movement and public perception of anarchism in the United States, reflecting the tensions between labor rights and law enforcement at the time.