verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

Why is Labor Day not on May 1?

Labor Day is not held on May 1 (May Day) because of the latter’s socialist origins and its association with various workers’ riots, notably Chicago’s Haymarket Affair of 1886. U.S. officials instead selected Labor Day to honor workers, and on June 28, 1894, Pres. Grover Cleveland signed legislation making it an official federal holiday.