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History of May 1st: Labor Day, symbol of social struggles, between workers' memory and the tradition of lily of the valley.
©Gallica - BnF
May 1st is universally recognized as International Workers' Day, symbolizing the struggles and achievements of the labor movement. But what are the origins of this emblematic date? How did it become a public holiday in France and elsewhere? Let's delve into the history of this day, between social demands and popular traditions.
The end of the 19thᵉ century was marked by rapid industrialization, resulting in often difficult working conditions. In the United States, on May 1st, 1886, a major protest movement was launched to obtain an eight-hour workday. This mobilization culminated in the tragic events of Haymarket Square in Chicago, where clashes between protesters and law enforcement resulted in several deaths. These events deeply marked the international labor movement.
In 1889, at the congress of the Second International Socialist in Paris, it was decided to make May 1st an annual day of demonstrations for the reduction of the workday to eight hours. As early as the following year, workers in Europe and the United States organized gatherings to demand this improvement in working conditions.
@Travail-emploi.gouv.fr
In France, the first celebration of May 1st took place in 1890, with workers displaying a red triangle symbolizing their demands. This triangle was later replaced by the red thorn, and then by lily of the valley at the beginning of the 20thᵉ century, taking up an old Renaissance custom where this flower was given as a good luck charm.
On April 23, 1919, the French Senate ratified the eight-hour workday and made May 1st, 1919 a public holiday. However, it was not until 1941 that Marshal Pétain officially established May 1st as the "Labor Day and Day of Social Concord," a paid public holiday. This initiative, although controversial due to the context of the Vichy regime, firmly anchored the status of May 1st as a public holiday in France. After the Liberation, in April 1947, May 1st was re-established as a paid public holiday, without being officially designated as Labor Day.
The tradition of giving lily of the valley on May 1st in France dates back several centuries. Although this custom has its roots in ancient celebrations, it was popularized during the Renaissance when King Charles IX decided to offer it to the ladies of the court each year. At the beginning of the 20thᵉ century, lily of the valley replaced the red thorn during May 1st demonstrations, becoming a symbol of both spring and workers' demands. Today, it is common to give lily of the valley to loved ones as a good luck charm.
@Gallica BnF
While May 1st is widely celebrated as International Workers' Day, the ways it is observed vary by country. In the United States and Canada, for example, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September. In Russia, May 1st became a public holiday as early as 1920. In Italy, after being suppressed during the fascist period, the holiday was reinstated in 1945. Thus, although contexts differ, May 1st remains a universal symbol of the struggles and achievements of the labor movement.
May 1st is much more than just a public holiday. It embodies the battles fought by generations of workers to achieve decent working conditions. Understanding the history of this day is also recognizing the importance of social struggles in the evolution of our societies.
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