
How May Day used to be celebrated

A 1939 photo in Georgia of the May Queen and her court dancing around a Maypole.
Silent protest parade

In Spring of 1917, during World War I, a labor and race riot broke out in East St. Louis, Illinois. 3,000 white men had marched downtown and began attacking African Americans. Estimates vary widely but it is believed that around 100 blacks were killed. This silent march in New York City involved 10,000 people.
Protesting the high cost of food

1917 New York.
Sending the kids out to picket

1919, Washington D.C.
Rally of the unemployed

1909 New York.
Protesting for better wages and hours . . .

And against police brutality.
Vigilantes hired for railroad strike control

1916 Ohio.
Vietnam war protest

Also supporting Eartha Kitt, 1968.
Stop ERA demonstration

1977 protest against the Equal Rights Amendment (which would have created equal rights for women).
Oh, the smell!

Garbage strike, 1911 NYC.

Phew!
Mill worker's strike, 1912

Notice the children (who were workers).
Protesting political prisoners

British citizens were prisoners in the U.S. in 1922 due to the Irish uprising.
Police arresting protester

Newspaper strike, 1910 NY.
Single women protest for jobs

1933 New York.
Celebrating women getting the vote 1920

Bomb victims - Anarchist riot

1908 New York City.
1912 strike

The threatening coal mine strike circa 1915

Coal mine strike, 1903

Strike Arbitration Commission
Impeach Nixon demonstration

1973, Washington D.C.
Police shooting strikers

Engraving of 1886 railroad strike
Wilmington race riots 1968
1975 Protest against busing and textbooks

1908 rent strike

Militia dispersing mobs

Railroad strike, 1916.
Democrat convention, 1868

Banner reads "reduce taxation before taxation reduces us".
Picketing British treatment of the Irish

Americans!

Did our men die to make it safe for England to murder the Irish?
But in the late 1800's, the character of celebrations began to change. It became a day for workers to march and advocate for worker's rights and in some countries such as the Soviet Union, a day to show off military might.May 1st is now celebrated in most countries around the world and is a day set aside to honor the laborers of the world.
The past few decades, May 1st has become a day to march and protest - often, the focus is on everything from immigrants' rights to LGBT awareness to police misconduct. Take a look at some of the protests from the past century and see if they appear any different from now.
Have photos that you'd like to see included? Share your photos or see photos of historic womens' protests on the next page.