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Why was Labor Day chosen instead of May Day as the new federal holiday in 1894?

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shantytown in Chicago — Pullman Strike A shantytown on the lakefront in Chicago during the Pullman Strike and general economic downturn of 1893–94.

In 1894, President Grover Cleveland sought to make a conciliatory gesture toward the American labor movement amid the unrest of the Pullman Strike. While considering a national holiday to honor workers, he chose the first Monday in September over May 1 (May Day) because of the latter's socialist origins and its association with labor-related violence, most notably the Haymarket Affair of 1886 in Chicago.123

Because May Day had become linked to radical political movements, including anarchism, it was viewed as politically sensitive and unacceptable to U.S. officials at the time. Conversely, Labor Day had already been celebrated in various states since 1882 as an honorary observance, making it a more palatable choice for a federal holiday. On June 28, 1894, Cleveland signed the legislation that officially established Labor Day as a national holiday.3214