Labor Day has been celebrated for 135 years. How did his appearance change during this time?

The history of Labor Day dates back to 1886, when labor unions and anarchists staged a major strike in America on the first day of May. As early as the 1850s, workers who resented poor working conditions began to riot. The long-term dissatisfaction peaked on May 1, 1886, when the workers took to the streets and demanded an improvement in working conditions and, above all, a reduction of working hours to eight hours a day, without reducing the existing financial remuneration. The protests then continued in the following days, on May 3rd, during them in Chicago, groups of workers got into a conflict and physical clash with police forces. This claimed several human casualties. The situation escalated a day later when a bomb was detonated in the square, for which several anarchists were accused and sentenced to death. It is still unclear whether they were responsible for the explosion, as there was no direct evidence against them.

Two years later, on May 1, 1888, the aforementioned tragic events were remembered again in the form of a demonstration and strike. And a year later, the first day of May was already referred to as Labor Day, in 1890 it became an international holiday. Even then, on the first of May, people went to the streets in droves, where people not only promoted their opinions and possible demands, but also had fun. Labor Day also became a kind of folk celebration associated with the arrival of spring. Among other things, workers’ parades let others know that they are all full-fledged members of the same society and that they can all enjoy themselves equally.

In our countries, Labor Day was officially included as a national holiday in 1919. During its celebrations, the importance of the working class for society was emphasized, but various social events or group trips were also organized. Labor Day was also celebrated in businesses, when their owners organized a pleasant rest day for their employees with a cultural program and refreshments. For example, the well-known factory worker Tomáš Baťa became famous for his excellent food during the May Day celebrations for employees.

During World War II, Labor Day receded into the background. It is said that Adolf Hitler himself did not like him at all, and moreover, he was afraid of possible conflicts and riots that could be provoked by crowds of people in the streets. At that time, people spent the first of May as a holiday paid for by the state, mainly with their families and went out into the nature, for example.

Labor Day was soon appropriated by socialist countries, in which (in our country after 1948) it later became one of the most important holidays, for monstrous propaganda. We also had May Day parades that passed through the city and headed to the stands, where party representatives highlighted the building efforts to date, the exemplary implementation of work plans and the development of a socialist society.

Participation in May Day parades during the communist regime was optional, but strongly recommended. People preferred to join the parades voluntarily, often out of fear that they would not spoil their personnel profile and not have to deal with possible inconveniences. For the same reasons, it was also desirable that employees of state enterprises, teachers and pupils or members of organizations appear in the procession. Teachers monitored the exemplary attendance of their pupils, employers monitored their workers. So if someone didn’t go in the procession, they could really have a problem. Allegorical cars decorated with builders’ inscriptions also appeared in parades, groups also carried banners with similar content. A waving hand was an essential accessory for every participant. The release of doves of peace was part of the celebration.