Hill, Joe (1879-1915), was a Swedish-born songwriter who popularized the goals of the American labor movement through his music. Hill’s real name was Joel Hagglund. He was born on Oct. 7, 1879, in Gavle, Sweden. In 1902, he moved to the United States, where he roamed from place to place working at various jobs.
About 1910, Hill joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a labor organization that wanted to replace the American economic system with a society run by workers. Hill spread the IWW’s beliefs by writing new lyrics for popular tunes. His best-known songs included “Casey Jones—The Union Scab” and “The Preacher and the Slave.”
In 1914, a jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, convicted Hill of murdering two men and sentenced him to death. During his appeal, concerned people throughout the world protested the sentence. President Woodrow Wilson and the Swedish government tried to save his life, but Hill was executed by a firing squad on Nov. 19, 1915. His casual lifestyle, his musical tributes to workers, and his dramatic death made him an American folk hero.
