Traditionally, May 1st is the date of the European spring festival of May Day, which marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. It is rooted in ancient agricultural rituals, which celebrated fertility and the return of life in the spring season. People traditionally dance around a tall “Maypole” decorated with colorful ribbons and leave small baskets of flowers or sweets on neighbors’ doorsteps.
International Workers’ Day
For much of the world, May 1st is International Workers’ Day, a public holiday dedicated to labor rights. It commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where workers striking for an 8-hour workday clashed with police.
The International Workers Congress held in Paris in 1889 adopted a resolution for a “great international demonstration” in support of working-class demands for the eight-hour day. The demonstration, held on May 1st, subsequently became a yearly event.
Today, millions of people participate in rallies, marches, and strikes to advocate for better wages and working conditions. It is a day to celebrate the contributions and achievements of workers in all sectors of the economy. From the factory worker to the teacher, from the healthcare professional to the farmer, this day honors the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices of individuals who labor tirelessly to build and sustain our communities.
Labor Day
While the labor movement for the 8-hour day started in the US, May 1st is not a federal holiday here. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland officially moved the US celebration to the first Monday in September to distance it from the “radical” socialist origins of May Day.
In 1947, May 1st was established as Loyalty Day by the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a way to counter communist influence & recruitment at International Workers’ Day rallies. Loyalty Day was celebrated across the country with patriotic parades & ceremonies; however, the growing conflict over US involvement in Vietnam detracted from the popularity of these celebrations.
Recent May Day Activities
May 1, 2006, was chosen by mostly Latino immigrant groups in the US as the day for the Great American Boycott. There was a general strike of undocumented workers and their supporters to protest immigration reform legislation that they felt was draconian. Immigrant families called for immigrant rights, workers’ rights, and amnesty for undocumented workers.
On May 1, 2007, a mostly peaceful demonstration in Los Angeles in support of undocumented immigrant workers ended with a widely televised dispersal by police. In March 2008, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced that dockworkers would move no cargo at any west coast ports on May 1st as a protest against the continuation of the Iraq War and the diversion of resources from domestic needs.
On May 1, 2012, members of Occupy Wall Street and labor unions held protests together in a number of cities in the US to commemorate International Workers’ Day and to protest the state of the economy and economic inequality. In 2017, immigrants’ rights advocates and labor unions held protests against immigration and economic policies in cities throughout the US.
Workers Over Billionaires
This May Day, it was “Workers Over Billionaires” as workers, students, & families across the country rallied and marched to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing to conduct business as usual.
May Day Strong is a nationwide campaign that organized protests, strikes, & rallies on May 1st, advocating for labor rights, immigrant rights, and economic justice. Organized by a coalition including unions and advocacy groups, it encouraged participants to engage in “no work, no school, no shopping” to combat corporate power, war, and deportation. Thousands of rallies, marches, and events (over 3,500 nationwide) occurred in major cities, including Columbus.
Teachers, students, & workers staged walkouts & protests to fight for public services and demand higher taxes on the rich, an end to ICE raids, and an end to foreign military involvement.
The purpose of May Day Strong is to protest against authoritarian overreach and mass deportation, and to demand economic justice. The movement builds on previous protests and is aimed at strengthening the working class against corporate influence.
May Day has long been an annual day of protest for the labor movement, and this year, many active movements converged. The May Day Strong coalition includes labor unions, immigrant rights groups, and other political organizations.
