May Day

May Day Quick Facts - US

AKA Name	International Worker's Day, Labour Day
ℹ HashtagsCompiled on05:14	#MayDay, #MayDay2023
Related Hashtags	#MAY
2023 Date	May 1, 2023
2024 Date	May 1, 2024

2023 Holidays & Dates

		US & Common Holidays
		Misc. & Int'l. Observancesℹ
		Christian Holidays
		Jewish Holidays
		Muslim Holidays

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May Day in 2023

Monday, May 1

Days to go:

May Day History

May Day marks the halfway point between the first day of spring and the summer solstice. This day can be traced back to the days of the Romans as it involved many pagan rituals and ancient customs. These were slowly phased out with the arrival of Christianity. Festivals, dances, and rituals related to agriculture and fertility were practiced by many Germanic and European countries. May Day is observed annually on the 1st of May.

Top Tweets for May Day -

Updated 05:12

Comrades today is a workers Holiday Rally like Hell Happy May Day to all workers across the globe ‼️ #MayDay @amazonlabor ✊🏽 Message of the day AMAZON recognize the #ALU 🗣 https://t.co/kGA7CjIkFC
— Christian Smalls (@Shut_downAmazon) May 1, 2022

The Salvadoran minister of labor just threatened to arrest workers who plan to march for May Day. By the way, this guy is on the Engel List. https://t.co/CMRMRj6vM6
— Ricardo J. Valencia Ph.D (@ricardovalp) April 28, 2022

Today, May 1, is International Workers' Day! It commemorates the sentencing to death of eight anarchist workers in Chicago who were framed for throwing a bomb at police who attacked a strike demonstration in May 1886 https://t.co/iCVvyOzAfP https://t.co/CbM0Q1lY6U
— Working Class History (@wrkclasshistory) May 1, 2022

May Day Facts & Quotes

Roman Catholics celebrate May as Mary's month and May Day is celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
May Day is also recognized as International Worker's Day, or Labor Day. This day commemorates workers rights and the labor movement. One popular cause that this day commemorates is the eight-hour workday.
During the Haymarket Affair of 1886, more than a dozen people were killed after a 3-day strike and rally. US Labor Unions had agreed upon a general nationwide strike on May 1, 1886 in support of an eight-hour work day. One such rally, held outside the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, Illinois, became violent when police fired into the crowd of striking workers. Outraged, the worker's organized another rally the next day at Haymarket Square. The rally became violent when a bomb was thrown into a crowd of police. Seven officers were killed. A very public trial ensued which ended in the public hanging of four anarchists.
In France, it is customary to give a sweet smelling flower called the spring of lily of the valley (a symbol of springtime) on May 1st. The tradition started in 1561 when King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky charm.
All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. – Martin Luther King Jr.

In the News and Trending for May Day

Updated 05:12 “The Wobblies”: Iconic Film on the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Is Rereleased for May Day

democracynow.org

The changing meanings of May Day : NPR

npr.org

Aztec dance group hosts 'reimagined' May Day festival

mprnews.org

To Celebrate May Day, $1 Subscriptions Today

jacobinmag.com

May Day Top Events and Things to Do

Dance around a Maypole. Decorate a tall pole with garlands of flowers and ribbons. Have a group of friends each take a ribbon and dance around the pole, interweaving the ribbons to form a braided affect. The braid can be undone by retracing one's steps.
Have a picnic outdoors in the sunshine.
Attend a May Day Festival.
Watch a film relating to worker’s rights. Our favorite films on the topic:
1) The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
2) Office Space (1999)
3) Caesar Chavez (2014)