Socialist Labor Party Members, Hallowell, Maine, 1889-1899. Maine State Museum. Gift of Glenn B. Skillin, 2003.47.44.
Socialist Labor Party Members, Hallowell, Maine, 1889-1899. Maine State Museum. Gift of Glenn B. Skillin, 2003.47.44.
This is a group of Italian-American granite cutters with members of their families in Hallowell, Maine. Italian sculptors were prized for the granite cutting skills. The Italian artisans made ornate decorations for buildings and monuments around the country.
The men and children hold newspapers and signs, most of which are unreadable. Then center newspaper is the Il Grido del Popolo, an Italian language socialist weekly newspaper. Many European immigrants, especially those from Germany and Italy brought a keen interest in workers’ rights. The Social Labor Party was the third largest political part in American in 1905.