Joe Hill

Joe Hill was born Joel Hägglund in Gävle, Sweden. After his mother died in 1902 he went to the United States with his brother. He worked as a travelling labourer and organised for the Industrial Workers of the World, putting new words to well known hymn tunes for the union’s Little Red Songbook. He was convicted of murder in Utah on doubtful evidence and executed in Salt Lake City, and became a hero of the labour song tradition.