“The date of May 1 (an ancient European folk holiday known as May Day) emerged in 1886 as an alternative holiday for the celebration of labor, later becoming known as International Workers’ Day. The date had its origins at the 1885 convention of the American Federation of Labor, which passed a resolution calling for adoption of the eight-hour day effective May 1, 1886.[8] While negotiation was envisioned for achievement of the shortened work day, use of the strike to enforce this demand was recognized, with May 1 advocated as a date for coordinated strike action.[8] The proximity of the date to the bloody Haymarket affair of May 4, 1886, further accentuated May First’s radical reputation.

There was disagreement among labor unions at this time about when a holiday celebrating workers should be, with some advocating for continued emphasis of the September march-and-picnic date while others sought the designation of the more politically-charged date of May 1. Conservative Democratic President Grover Cleveland was one of those concerned that a labor holiday on May 1 would tend to become a commemoration of the Haymarket Affair and would strengthen socialist and anarchist movements that backed the May 1 commemoration around the globe.[9] In 1887, he publicly supported the September Labor Day holiday as a less inflammatory alternative.[10] </bThe date was formally adopted as a United States federal holiday in 1894."

Hooray for Cleveland.

I have been informed by reliable unnamed sources that here in the People’s Socialist Soviet democrat Republic of Madiganstan-Illinois state-wide student testing occurs in late April or early May. Depending on grade level. So “teaching to the test” rote memorization must begin as early as possible.