Introduction to the Controversy
LITTLE VILLAGE — A group of Little Village neighbors and officials are renewing calls to change the name of Joseph E. Gary Elementary School, which is named after a judge who presided over the Haymarket Affair trial in 1886.
The Haymarket Affair and Its Impact
The Haymarket Affair was a major moment in the labor movement — and the trial associated with it is seen as a grave miscarriage of justice that led to four men being wrongfully executed. The presiding judge, Joseph Gary, was openly biased against the defendants and sentenced the four men to death, as well as three other people, one of whom died by suicide and two who had their sentences commuted and were later pardoned.
Community Reaction and Calls for Change
It is “disturbing” to have a school in Little Village named after someone who was known to be anti-immigrant and anti-union, especially given the neighborhood is a community of middle-class, hardworking immigrants, Lupe Lozano, a community organizer and Little Village resident, said at a press conference Wednesday calling for the name change.
“The trial is widely seen as biased, unjust and politically motivated,” Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) said at the press conference, which came one day before thousands of planned May Day protests nationwide, including one in Chicago. “Judge Gary allowed questionable evidence, refused a retrial and presided over a deeply flawed legal process that was meant to crush labor movement and intimidate immigrants and workers.”
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) speaks at a press conference calling to rename the Little Village school Joseph E. Gary, as seen on April 30, 2025. Credit: Provided
Last year, the group called on the local school council and Principal Alberto Juarez to rename the school by delivering a petition with 934 signatures and 27 letters of support from local officials and community organizations, said Andrea O’Malley Muñoz, organizer of the Community Committee to Rename Joseph E. Gary School.
The Need for a Name Change
The elementary school should be named after someone who represents the community’s values and culture, Lozano said, calling on school officials and neighbors to support the group’s efforts.
The local school council had the item on its agenda for its March meeting, but the proposal failed after eight members voted against it, one abstained and three were absent, O’Malley Muñoz said.
“We cannot teach our children to be proud of their roots if we maintain a name that does not represent our dreams or struggles,” said Arturo Rojas, a Gary Elementary graduate and son of a Mexican immigrant.
Lupe Lozano, a community organizer, speaks at a press conference calling to rename Joseph E. Gary elementary school, as seen on April 30, 2025.
Proposed Alternatives
One name that’s been floated as an option is Marcos Muñoz, a lead organizer for the United Farm Workers Union under César Chavez, said O’Malley Muñoz, his wife.
After organizing campaigns in California and Boston, Muñoz moved to Little Village with his wife, becoming a mentor for political leaders like Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. He died in 2021.
Neighbors
