International Workers' Day is an international holiday in many countries around the world, but not English-speaking countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In most of the world, except in the US, Labor Day is celebrated on the 1st of May in remembrance of the 1886 Haymarket Riot. The adoption of May Day around this time by socialists and communists as their primary holiday cements official resistance to this expression of the day in the US.The Government of the United States has also attempted to create other holidays for the day of 1 May, in order to further discourage the celebration of May Day. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also celebrate Labour Day on different dates, which has to do with how the holiday originated in those countries. See also Loyalty Day and Law Day.
In a separate attempt to co-opt May Day, the Roman Catholic Church added another Saint Joseph's Day in 1955 that Christianized 1 May as the day of "Saint Joseph, the Worker". It is perhaps surprising that the Church did not take this step earlier, to distract attention from the traditionally virile pagan celebrations of May Day.
Nevertheless, May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups. In the 20th century, the holiday received the official endorsement of the Soviet Union; celebrations in communist countries during the Cold War era often consisted of large military parades and shows of common people in support of the government.
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