I also recommend a visit to Revels, Inc. – the organization founded by the late John Langstaff and most noted for the annual Christmas Revels productions. The organization has also sponsored spring and summer events and several CD’s are available.

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For many people around the globe, May 1 is recognized for politics and workers solidarity.

Back in 1884, the idea of a 8 hour work day was put forth when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions passed a resolution that beginning on May 1, 1886 – eight hours would consititue a legal work day. Over the next two years, the Federation gathered support and called for a general strike in support of what had become known as May Day movement. While the movement gained momentum around the country, Chicago was the epicenter of the efforts with the International Working People’s Association, an radicial organization of the time, leading the protests.

The police and militia prepared for trouble, and many business leaders donated money for weapons for the police – including purchasing a machine gun for the Illinois National Guard! The strikes started on May 1 and the workers began to win support for their 8 hour work demand. Then, on May 3, police fired into a crowd gathered at McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four people and wounding others. The organizers called for a mass demonstration against the brutality on May 4 at Haymarket Square in Chicago.

On a rainy day, the demonstration seemed peaceful. When the last speaker was on the podium, the police suddenly marched into the remaining crowd in an attempt to disperse the few remaining demonstraters. It is not confirmed who did the deed, but someone threw a bomb which killed one and injured many others. The police began opening fire on the crowd, resulting in another death and more injuries.

Over the next days and weeks, scores of suspected radicals and labor leaders as police began a assault on the left and the labor movement. Eventually, 8 people were charged with conspiracy for murder (only one was even present on the platform that day). A court, described by many as a kangaroo court, found all 8 guilty of conspiracy for murder – even without evidence. Four were hung, one committed suicide, and three were eventually freed.a legal work day. Over the next two years, the Federation gathered support and called for a general strike in support of what had become known as May Day movement. While the movement gained momentum around the country, Chicago was the epicenter of the efforts with the International Working People’s Association, an radicial organization of the time, leading the protests.

The police and militia prepared for trouble, and many business leaders donated money for weapons for the police – including purchasing a machine gun for the Illinois National Guard! The strikes started on May 1 and the workers began to win support for their 8 hour work demand. Then, on May 3, police fired into a crowd gathered at McCormick Reaper Works Factory, killing four people and wounding others. The organizers called for a mass demonstration against the brutality on May 4 at Haymarket Square in Chicago.

On a rainy day, the demonstration seemed peaceful. When the last speaker was on the podium, the police suddenly marched into the remaining crowd in an attempt to disperse the few remaining demonstraters. It is not confirmed who did the deed, but someone threw a bomb which killed one and injured many others. The police began opening fire on the crowd, resulting in another death and more injuries.

Over the next days and weeks, scores of suspected radicals and labor leaders as police began a assault on the left and the labor movement. Eventually, 8 people were charged with conspiracy for murder (only one was even present on the platform that day). A court, described by many as a kangaroo court, found all 8 guilty of conspiracy for murder – even without evidence. Four were hung, one committed suicide, and three were eventually freed.

While business leaders and the government attempted to squash the reform movements, the mobilization of labor could not be stopped. By 1890, May 1 was being commemorated in the United States and Europe as demonstraters remembered the fallen of the Haymarket victims and galvanizing worker solidarity. Eventually the eight hour day became accepted, and the struggle for workers rights continued to grow.

As the May 1 celebrations grew larger each year, more attempts were made to stop the movement. By 1921, the government instituted “Americanization Day” on May 1, which later became “Loyalty Day”, and is still recognized as an offical U.S. holiday. (In 1958, President Eisenhower also established the day as “Law Day” to draw attention to our rights and legal system.) This holiday was basically created to distance the celebrations from what had become communist and left-wing rallies. Still, the voice of the worker could not be squelched.

On May 1, 2006 the subject of Immigration became the focus of this day as rallies and demonstrations (and counter demonstrations) took place around the country to protest a bill that would deport many illegal immigrants who have come to work in this country. Similar demonstrations are happening this year as well, although not on as large of a scale.

The labor movement in this country has been catagorized as a “singing movement”. Songwriters like Joe Hill, Ralph Chaplin and the late Joe Glazer have created songs that were sung on the picket lines to help strengthen the resolve of the worker to fight for their rights. From the early days of the International Workers of the World union (I.W.W.) and their “little red songbook”, music has been an integral tool. Check out many of the collections of labor music through the Labor Heritage Foundation and Smithsonian Folkways.

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There is another individual that I feel deserves to be remembered on this day – Gil Turner.

He was born as Gilbert Strunk on May 1, 1933 in Bridgeport, CT. Music was a big part of his upbringing as his parents sang in church choirs. Gil became a lay preacher and attended college with an eye for social work. He worked with autistic children as well as those inflicted with rheumatoid arthritis, an infliction that he also suffered from that affected the left side of his body.

Gil became enamored with folk music and was soon working as the emcee at Gerdes Folk City where he met most of the new singers flocking to the Village. Turner became one of the editors of Broadside Magazine and would help introduce many artists of the early folk revival – including Mark Spoelstra, Bonnie Dobson, and Bob Dylan. It was in Gil Turner’s apartment in February of 1963 that Dylan would record a number of songs into Gil’s tape recorder. The tape eventually found its way into the hands of collectors and has become one of the most famous of the thousands of Dylan bootlegs.

The legend has it that one evening at Folk City, Turner walked into the basement where Dylan was strumming a guitar. Dylan told Turner that he had a new song he wanted to hear. Turner was so impressed that he asked Dylan to teach him the song, and that night Gil Turner sang “Blowin in the Wind” to an audience for the first time.

Turner was deeply involved in the civil rights movement, another social movement that used music as a powerful tool to motivate and educate. To help get the new songs heard, Turner helped form the New World Singers in 1962 and arranged for the first Broadside recording to be issued by Folkways Records. Turner would record several albums on his own as well.

After the commercial boom of the folk revival subsided, Turner remained committed to his work with the civil rights movenment and other organizations such as War Resisters League. He passed away in 1974.

One of Turner’s compositions became an anthem for the civil rights movement and was recorded by numerous artists including Joan Baez. The song “Carry it On” stands as a reminder of those times, and inspiration that there is still work to be done.

There’s a man by my side walking
There’s a voice within me talking,
There’s a voice, within me saying,
Carry on, carry it on.

They will tell their empty stories,
Send their dogs to bite our bodies,
They will lock us up in prison,
Carry on, carry it on.

When you can’t go on any longer,
Take the hand, hand of your brother,
Every victory brings another,Carry it on, carry it on.

Carry on, carry it on.