May Day or Worker's Day or Labour Day.
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May Day or Worker's Day or Labour Day,
International Worker's Day
"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Labour Day, also known as May Day or Worker's Day, is celebrated on May 1 to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions made by the labour class. The origin of Labour Day dates back to the 19th century in the United States, where the eight-hour day movement was launched to advocate for an eight-hour workday, eight hours of recreation, and eight hours of rest.
The primary objective of Labour Day is to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the working class, create awareness about their rights, and protect them from exploitation. This day is celebrated globally, and in some countries, it is referred to as Worker's Day.
In 2023, Labour Day will be observed on Monday, May 1. The concept of Labour Day in the United States dates back to the nationwide strike of 1886 for an eight-hour workday, which commenced on May 1 and culminated in the tragic Haymarket affair in Chicago, where a labour protest gathering turned violent after a bomb was thrown at the police, killing seven officers and four bystanders.
In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated on May 1, 1923, in Madras. It was initiated by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan. The leader of the party, Comrade Singaravelar arranged two meetings to celebrate this occasion. This day is celebrated under different names across various Indian states, such as Kamgar Din (Hindi), Karmikara Dinacharane (Kannada), Karmika Dinotsavam (Telugu), Kamgar Divas (Marathi), Uzhaipalar Dhinam (Tamil), Thozhilaali Dinam (Malayalam), and Shromik Dibosh (Bengali).
The celebration of Labour Day in India aims to acknowledge and motivate the achievements of workers and labourers.
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.
McGuire v. Maguire: Who Founded Labor Day?
Who first proposed the holiday for workers? It’s not entirely clear, but two workers can make a solid claim to the Founder of Labor Day title.
Some records show that in 1882, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested setting aside a day for a "general holiday for the laboring classes" to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."
But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that machinist Matthew Maguire, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday.
Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed the law creating a national Labor Day, the Paterson Morning Call published an opinion piece stating that "the souvenir pen should go to Alderman Matthew Maguire of this city, who is the undisputed author of Labor Day as a holiday." Both Maguire and McGuire attended the country’s first Labor Day parade in New York City that year.
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