May Day Scenes | Picture This

Welcome to May–a month of sunshine, colorful blooms, and excitement for the summer! When the first of the month, May Day, rolls around, I think of flowers, ribbon poles, and a Renaissance fair vibe. As fortune would have it, I found these ideas encapsulated in a single photograph, below.

At the May Day pageant in Siloam, Greene County, Georgia. Photo by Jack Delano, May 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a35453 — *At the May Day pageant in Siloam, Greene County, Georgia*. Photo by Jack Delano, May 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a35453

As I continued browsing the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog for images of this convivial holiday, I found that May Day festivals are a great source for enjoyable and happy photographs. It also appears that children are the ones who fully embrace the freedom and airy spirit of May Day. I hope you’ll agree that the below images are a wonderful way to celebrate spring!

Playgrounds, May Day. Photo by Harris and Ewing, May 1924. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hec.32322 — *Playgrounds, May Day*. Photo by Harris and Ewing, May 1924. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hec.32322

Playgrounds, May Day. Photo by Harris and Ewing, May 1924. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hec.32325 — *Playgrounds, May Day*. Photo by Harris and Ewing, May 1924. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hec.32325

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children practice their May Day dances on the grass in front of the school. Photo by Marjory Collins, May-June 1942. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8d20947 — *Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children practice their May Day dances on the grass in front of the school*. Photo by Marjory Collins, May-June 1942. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8d20947

Mrs. Coolidge gets a basket of flowers and a kiss. Photo by National Photo Company, April 30, 1927. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c31303 — *Mrs. Coolidge gets a basket of flowers and a kiss*. Photo by National Photo Company, April 30, 1927. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c31303

The image below, in particular, really made me chuckle, and I couldn’t resist sharing it with anyone nearby!

Children on May Day in Central Park, New York. Photo by Bain News Service, 1908. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.00343 — *Children on May Day in Central Park, New York*. Photo by Bain News Service, 1908. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.00343

There is a young girl in the above photograph with a sign around her neck that reads “Keep of [sic] the grass”. Were yours eyes drawn to her, too? I relate so much to this spunky young girl and her fascinating costume. I had to wonder–is she part of a performance in which she holds the coveted role of “grass”? It would certainly make sense, given that May Day is a celebration of nature and the greater Earth, and of course grass is a cherished element!

Learn More:

At the May Day pageant in Siloam, Greene County, Georgia. Photo by Jack Delano, May 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a35451 — *At the May Day pageant in Siloam, Greene County, Georgia*. Photo by Jack Delano, May 1941. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8a35451

May 1 isn’t just for flowers- find more May Day photos in our Prints and Photographs Online Catalog.
Searching for more flower power? Take listen to the Library of Congress National Jukebox offerings of “flower” related tunes.
Watch a lecture by Jennifer Cutting, who describes and displays some of the folk traditions surrounding May Day (May 1) in Britain and the United States.
Read a previous post that looks specifically at these Georgia May Day pageant photographs by Jack Delano.

Comments (2)

victoria lievano says:

May 6, 2017 at 12:17 pm

Beautiful!!!

LL says:

May 10, 2017 at 12:13 pm

This is quite delightful! It evokes feelings of simplicity and youthful innocence.

Comments (2)

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