Today is May 1st—International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. Around the world, it’s a powerful day of protest and celebration for labor rights, social justice, and economic equity. Ironically, while the holiday was born out of a workers’ struggle in the United States, it is not officially recognized as a national holiday here. Instead, the U.S. celebrates Labor Day in September—by design.
May Day traces back to the Haymarket Affair in Chicago in 1886, when workers were fighting for the 8-hour workday. On May 1, strikes erupted across the country. Days later, during a peaceful rally in Haymarket Square, a bomb was thrown at police, leading to chaos, gunfire, and the deaths of several officers and civilians. Though the bomber was never identified, labor organizers were arrested and four were executed in a trial widely condemned as unjust.
This tragic event inspired international movements. In 1889, May 1st was declared International Workers’ Day by the Second International, a coalition of socialist and labor parties. Around the world, it became a day to honor workers and their struggle for fair treatment.
Despite its roots in American history, May Day was never embraced by the U.S. government. After the Haymarket Affair, the holiday became associated with socialism, anarchism, and radical labor movements. Fearing revolution and unrest, President Grover Cleveland and Congress chose to establish Labor Day in September in 1894. The aim was to undermine May Day’s radical associations and create a more “acceptable” version of worker celebration. That political move stuck. To this day, the U.S. remains one of the only industrialized nations that does not officially recognize May Day as Labor Day.
Though not a federal holiday, May Day is far from forgotten in the United States. Across the country, people are taking to the streets in protest and solidarity. The focus has expanded beyond labor to include immigrant rights, economic justice, racial equity, and climate justice—a reflection of how interconnected these issues are.
Starting in the early 2000s, immigrant communities began reclaiming May Day in the U.S. as a platform for rights and recognition. A turning point came in 2006, when millions marched against proposed anti-immigrant legislation. The movement drew inspiration from the labor roots of May Day and reframed it as a fight for dignity—not just for unionized workers, but for the undocumented, the marginalized, and the exploited.
This intersectional focus has grown stronger each year. After all, many of the lowest-paid and most vulnerable workers in the U.S.—from farmworkers to caregivers—are immigrants, often with limited protections. Ignoring immigrant justice when talking about labor rights would be a false solution to a deeply rooted systemic issue.
The 2025 May Day protests are unfolding in a tense political environment. Authoritarianism, wealth inequality, and corporate power are on the rise. From tech billionaires to fossil fuel giants, many are pushing false solutions—like deregulation, AI surveillance, and carbon offsets—that pretend to fix problems while consolidating power. These protests challenge that narrative.
Instead of false promises, people are demanding better solutions:
May Day isn’t just a day of resistance—it’s a blueprint for a more just, democratic, and sustainable world.
