OVERVIEW OF MAY DAY
The holiday is most often associated with the commemoration of the social and economic achievements of the labor movement. The 1 May date is used because in 1884 the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, inspired by Labor's 1872 success in Canada, demanded an eight-hour workday in the United States, to come in effect as of May 1, 1886. This resulted in the general strike and the U.S. Haymarket Riot of 1886, but eventually also in the official sanction of the eight-hour workday.
May Day is designated International Workers' Day. It is indeed a thoroughly international holiday; and the United States is one of the few countries in the world where pressure from the local working class has not led to an official holiday. In the 20th century, the holiday received the official endorsement of the Soviet Union; celebrations in communist countries during the Cold War era often consisted of large military parades and shows of common people in support of the government.
HISTORY OF MAY DAY
There is some suggestion that Labor Day in the United States was created specifically to avoid commemoration of May Day. The adoption of May Day by socialists (and later also the communists) as their primary holiday cements official resistance to this holiday in the US. The US government has also attempted to create other holidays for the day of 1 May, in order to further discourage the celebration of May Day (see Loyalty Day and Law Day).
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands also celebrate Labour Day on different dates; that has to do with how the holiday originated in those countries. Nevertheless, May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups.
In a separate attempt to co-opt May Day, the Roman Catholic Church added another Saint Joseph's Day in 1955 that Christianized 1 May as the day of "Saint Joseph, the Worker".
MAY DAY TRIVIA
Who made an album titled May Day?
May Day is also the title of a Rap and Hip-Hop album released in 2001 by the suburban New York rapper Lady May. The album contains the song "Round Up" which is a collaboration with Blu Cantrell, who is an urban singer with RnB, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul and Pop influences.
Source: The English Wikipedia
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