At least two ‘incomplete, true, authentic and wonderful’ events will take place to celebrate May Day this year. On April 30, the eve of International Workers Day, Peter Linebaugh, the great historian of May Day, of the punishments of capital and capital punishment, of many-headed hydras, of struggles for the Commons and hopes and dreams of commoners all — and a great friend of Kopkind — will give an address at 6:30 pm at The Great Hall of Cooper Union in New York City. The event is free but one must register for tickets: see https://cooper.edu/events-and-exhibitions/events/may-day-and-commons. Then on May 1, throughout the country people will take the streets for a national day of action, May Day Strong, for a bountiful future for the masses, as against the masters of the universe, echoing this winter’s call in the Twin Cities for No Work, No School, No Shopping — and No ICE, No War, No Billionaires. For actions in your area see https://maydaystrong.org/
As the broadside for Peter’s address explains:
Our May Day began in America. From the May pole dance with indigenous folk at Merry Mount, Massachusetts, in 1627, to Chicago’s police riots in 1886 at Haymarket Square against advocates of the 8-hour day, May Day has given us both green and red themes to celebrate.
Suppose we paused to think of each of these stories as history’s seeds that have yet to reach their maturity? Conquest and settlement were accomplished with means of mechanization. On May Day, whether as a story of Puritanical expropriation from earthly subsistence or as a story of gilded age exploitation of immigrant wage-slaves, we may easily find contemporary themes related to the extractions and extinctions of our own time. May Day celebrates the green and red struggle of workers across the planet who cry for health and wealth, common wealth.
Peter was born in Washington, DC, in 1942, the year the Nazis launched the V-2 rocket. He became an anti-fascist, growing up in London, Cattaraugus, Muskogee, Karachi and New York. He became a historian under the eloquent peacenik and labor historian, E.P. Thompson. His books include The London Hanged, Magna Carta Manifesto, Stop, Thief!, The Many-Headed Hydra, Red Round Globe Hot Burning and The Incomplete, True, Authentic, and Wonderful History of May Day. He has been a mentor and a special guest at Kopkind. There is no speaker remotely like him. If you’re in New York, be there.
And wherever you are, all out for May Day!
Kopkind Colony 