Our newest flash exhibit is about International Workers' Day or Labour Day, which takes place in most nations on May 1st. The history behind this day is fascinating and an opportunity to make Dewey ever so slightly more internationally oriented.
Last week I noticed that Labor Day was listed as a Relative Index term at 394.264 Holidays of September, October, November. That’s true for the United States, Canada, and some Australian states, but not generally true from an international perspective—most nations celebrate their Labour Day on May 1st. That stems from a commemoration of a movement that started in May 1, 1886. On that day activists called working people to arms: "One pound of DYNAMITE is better than a bushel of BALLOTS!" Hundreds of thousands of workers across the U.S. walked off their jobs. In Chicago, labor demonstrations were peaceful until a bomb was detonated on May 4th in Haymarket Square, killing at least eleven people. In 1889, an international coalition of trade unions and socialist groups designated May 1 as a day to celebrate the working class and remember those who were executed for the bombing.
To reflect the dates which different countries celebrate Labor/Labour Day, I've replaced the RI term Labor Day with Labor Day (United States) and Labour Day (Canada), both still classed with September holidays at 394.264. In contrast, May Day already has its own class number, 394.2627, which can be used for either the Northern Hemisphere’s springtime festivals or labor holidays. I've given a few new built numbers in that area to countries that have particularly large observances: 394.26270954 Labour Day (India) and 394.26270947 Labour Day (Russia).
I’ve also added a new built number for the LCSH Haymarket Square Riot, Chicago, Ill., 1886. While we might expect to see works about the Haymarket affair at a number about labor movements, the bombing was quickly associated with anarchists. The police decided that an anarchist had thrown the bomb and set about working to prove it; eight anarchists were convicted of conspiracy, and four of them were hanged. While many libraries have classed works on this topic with 335.83 Anarchism, in the economic systems hierarchy, they seem better suited for 320.57 Anarchism, along with other works about political ideology. The new built number for the Haymarket affair is 320.570977311 Anarchism--political ideology--Chicago (Ill.).
What other areas of the DDC don't reflect an international perspective? We’d like to hear about them and work with you to address them! Get in touch at dewey@oclc.org.
Violet's photo of the Chicago Haymarket sculpture by Mary Brogger
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