A Brief History of May 1: Labor, Loyalty, and the Law

The history of May 1 in the United States is characterized by the celebration of spring, labor, loyalty and the law. Originally honored in medieval and modern Europe as an agricultural holiday, some religious and secular communities still observe traditions such as dancing around a Maypole and gathering floral decorations. Condemned by New England Puritans as sacrilegious, these practices were celebrated by some early European settlers but largely discouraged in American culture at the time.

Many countries also observe International Workers’ Day or Labour Day on May 1 to commemorate the Chicago Haymarket Affair and the struggle for an eight-hour workday. During the nineteenth century Industrial Revolution, laborers were often forced to work up to 10-16 hours in unsafe conditions. In 1884 the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions proclaimed that eight hours should constitute a legal day’s work as of May 1, 1886. The proclamation was supported by strikes and demonstrations for the next two years, culminating in a strike of nearly 300,000 workers nationwide on May 1, 1886. Violence later broke out when police fired into a crowd of demonstrators at the McCormick Reaper Works Factory in Chicago on May 3. The following day, workers led by August Spies and Albert Parsons staged a protest at Haymarket Square. A bomb was thrown at police after they ordered the Haymarket crowd to disperse, and in the aftermath many officers and demonstrators were killed or wounded. 

Police detained large numbers of accused radicals and labor organizers in Chicago over the following months. Despite a lack of evidence, a court found eight organizers guilty and sentenced seven to death, although three survivors were later pardoned. Nevertheless, the Haymarket Affair became a symbol for labor rights, and now May 1st is celebrated in many countries as an official or unofficial workers’ holiday. To read more about the history of May Day and the labor movement, see “A History of Mayday” at libcom.org and Walter Gilberti’s three-part series on “The Haymarket Frame-Up and the Origins of May Day” at internationalmayday.org.

Although certain groups continue to stage demonstrations on May 1, the United States officially celebrates the labor movement on the first Monday of September with Labor Day, which was enacted as a public holiday in 1894. See: An Act Making Labor Day a National Holiday, ch. 118, 28 Stat. 96 (1894) (codified as amended at 5 U.S.C. § 6103 (2012)).

In an effort to downplay any Communist associations implicit in acknowledging International Workers’ Day, citizens were urged during the first half of the 20th century to honor patriotism on May 1. According to the VFW list of Patriotic Days, the unofficial holiday “Americanization Day” was first celebrated in 1921. It later evolved into Loyalty Day, as proclaimed by President Eisenhower in 1955 and enacted in 1958 with Public Law 85-529. See: Joint Resolution To Designate the 1st Day of May of Each Year as Loyalty Day, 72 Stat. 369 (1958) (codified as amended at 5 U.S.C. § 115 (2012)). Since then, Loyalty Day has been recognized by annual presidential proclamations and American flag displays on U.S. government buildings. For more information on where to find presidential proclamations and documents, see our Federal Legal Research - Presidential Docs. and Federal Legislative History - Presidential Action pages. The Pennsylvania VFW and Ladies’ Auxiliary hold a Loyalty Day coloring contest each year for students in grades 2-5.

In 1958, the same year Congress designated Loyalty Day, Eisenhower also proclaimed May 1 Law Day. A Joint Resolution was later enacted in 1961 with Public Law 87-20. See: Joint Resolution To Designate the First Day of May of Each Year as Law Day, U.S.A., 75 Stat. 43 (1961) (codified as amended at 36 U.S.C. § 113 (2012)). The holiday is largely attributed to 1957-58 American Bar Association President Charles S. Rhyne, who served as Eisenhower’s legal counsel for a time. Law Day is also recognized with annual presidential proclamations and American flag displays on May 1, but has largely overshadowed Loyalty Day in national celebrations.

Many Bar associations, courts, libraries, and educational institutions across the United States commemorate Law Day or Law Week. In years past, the Law Library of Congress has scheduled events with speakers, and maintains a collection of related documents on their website. The American Bar Association's Division for Public Education conducts programs on a different theme each year, complete with toolkits and planning guides for Law Day organizers. Their 2015 theme Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under the Law marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta . Past themes, proclamations, and dialogues can be found at the ABA Law Day History & Archives page. Locally, the Pennsylvania Bar Association sponsors a K-12 student contest and educational Law Day activities throughout the month of May, and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division coordinates a citywide Law Week initiative with community service events staffed by volunteer attorneys. See the News Release from April 23 for more details on this year’s events in Philadelphia and neighboring counties during Law Week, April 27-May 1.

With so much to celebrate on May 1, expect to see rallies and demonstrations, presidential proclamations, flag displays, and public education and legal aid initiatives around the country. As we honor the law, loyalty, and labor rights, don’t forget to stop and smell the May Day flowers!