International Workers' Day

An annual May 1 observance honoring workers and the labor movement, often marked by demonstrations and public events.

Haymarket affair: A labor protest in Chicago on May 4, 1886, followed by a bombing and the trial of eight anarchists. The violence and prosecutions became central to the observance’s origins.
May Day in the Soviet Union: The Soviet state’s annual May 1 celebration, featuring mass parades and displays of state power. It illustrates how a workers’ holiday became a highly organized state ceremony.
Internationalism: A political principle that favors cooperation and solidarity across national borders. May 1 frames workers’ struggles as shared across countries.
Labor Day: A public holiday honoring workers, observed in September in the United States and on other dates elsewhere. The U.S. holiday falls in September, unlike International Workers’ Day on May 1.
Eight-hour day: A labor reform movement seeking to limit the working day to eight hours. The demand for an eight-hour workday set the date and purpose of the first May Day actions.
May Day in Cuba: Cuba’s annual May 1 holiday, marked by rallies and marches organized around labor and revolutionary themes. Its mass gatherings connect the observance to Cuba’s official political identity.
Labor movement: Collective organizations and campaigns seeking to advance workers’ interests and rights. The observance honors this broader movement, not only particular unions.
Labor Day (United States): A U.S. federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September to honor workers and the labor movement. Its separate date reflects the United States’ distinct labor-holiday calendar.
Second International: An organization of socialist and labor parties founded in 1889 to coordinate international activity. Its 1889 congress called for May 1 demonstrations supporting the eight-hour day.
May Day in France: France’s May 1 public holiday, associated with labor demonstrations and the giving of lily-of-the-valley flowers. It combines union marches with a distinctive national gift-giving custom.

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