Haymarket Books
American Chicago-based non-profit publisher of books about socialism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Haymarket Books is an American nonprofit independent book publisher and distributor based in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in titles on left-wing politics and social justice.[3] The press has been included in Publishers Weekly's annual list of fast-growing independent publishers.[3][4]
 | |
| Parent company | Center for Economic Research and Social Change, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit[1] |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Headquarters location | Haymarket House 800 W. Buena Avenue Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[2] |
| Distribution | Consortium Book Sales & Distribution |
| Key people | Anthony Arnove Ahmed Shawki Julie Fain |
| Publication types | Books |
| Nonfiction topics | Socialism |
| Official website | Official website  |
Several Haymarket titles have received national literary attention, including Naomi Klein's No Is Not Enough, longlisted for the 2017 National Book Award for Nonfiction,[5] and Camonghne Felix's Build Yourself a Boat, longlisted for the 2019 National Book Award for Poetry.[6]
History
Haymarket Books was founded in 2001 by Anthony Arnove, Ahmed Shawki, and Julie Fain, all of whom had previously worked at the International Socialist Review.[7][8] Its first title was The Struggle for Palestine, a collection of essays by pro-Palestinian activists including Edward Said.[7][8] Fain said the press aimed "to be a socialist workplace in a capitalist world".[8]
The name of the publishing house refers to the 1886 Haymarket affair, a labor protest in Chicago that ended in a bombing, gunfire, and the controversial conviction of eight anarchists.[7][8]
Haymarket was cited by Publishers Weekly on its list of fast-growing independent publishers in 2017 and 2018.[3][4] A 2016 Publishers Weekly profile said the press had approximately 520 titles in print and published 20 to 25 titles each season.[9]
Haymarket Books is the publishing and distribution arm of the Center for Economic Research and Social Change.[9] According to ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer, the Center for Economic Research and Social Change reported $8.53 million in revenue and $17.4 million in total assets for fiscal year 2024.[1]
Haymarket House
In 2017, Haymarket announced plans to move into a historic mansion at 800 W. Buena Avenue in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood.[2][10] The move drew opposition from some local residents before the press received the permits needed for the property.[2][10] Coverage said the building would be used for office space as well as community gatherings and public events.[10] By 2022, Haymarket House was hosting events,[11] and in 2024, Chicago Review of Books described Haymarket House as the press's space for political, cultural, literary, and community events.[12]
Programs
Socialism Conference
Haymarket Books organizes the annual Socialism Conference, held in Chicago. The Nation reported that the conference began in 2002 and was for many years primarily organized by the International Socialist Organization, with Haymarket serving as a cosponsor from the mid-2000s.[13] Haymarket organized the conference for the first time in 2019, alongside Jacobin, and the conference book fair—previously a smaller part of the event—expanded significantly under Haymarket's stewardship.[14] In its coverage of the 2022 conference, The Nation described the event as a four-day gathering backed by about 40 left-wing groups and publications, and as a forum where a younger generation of organizers debated strategy and coalition-building on the American left; more than 1,700 people attended in person and another 1,600 bought virtual tickets.[13]
Writing Freedom Fellowship
In 2023, Haymarket launched the Writing Freedom Fellowship, a program for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who are incarcerated or otherwise affected by the criminal legal system.[15] The fellowship selects 20 writers annually and provides them with unrestricted awards and mentorship.[15] The inaugural fellows were announced in 2024, and a third cohort was announced in 2026.[16][17] According to the Mellon Foundation, the fellowship is administered by Haymarket with support from Mellon and the Art for Justice Fund, and was expanded in 2025 with a goal of supporting 100 writers over five years.[18]
Books Not Bars
In 2021, Haymarket launched Books Not Bars, a program that sends free books to incarcerated readers.[19] It was reported that the initiative grew out of staff efforts to respond to letters from incarcerated readers and, by 2025, was receiving about 50 requests a week.[19][20]
Publications
Haymarket Books has been described as publishing "provocative books from the left end of the political spectrum".[7] Its catalogue includes works in politics, history, sociology, literary criticism, poetry, and fiction.
Authors
Haymarket has published work by authors including Naomi Klein, Angela Davis, Arundhati Roy, Rebecca Solnit, Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Dave Zirin, Eve L. Ewing, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, and Mohammed el-Kurd.[21][9][7]
Selected publications
In 2005, Haymarket published Dave Zirin's What's My Name, Fool?, a collection of essays on the relationship between sports and politics.[7] In 2018, it published José Olivarez's poetry collection Citizen Illegal, which won the Chicago Review of Books award for best poetry and was shortlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award.[8]