Today in history: Ghana's first May Day celebration at Black Star Square

May Day is a celebration with a long and varied history, dating back millennia. It is traditionally a public holiday in the Ghana celebrated on 1 May.

May Day took on a new meaning, as an International Workers’ Day out of the 19th-century labour movement for worker’s rights.

A labour festival, marked predominantly with rallies and durbars, is held to honour the military and industrial efforts of workers in various countries.

Ghana just like many countries have cancelled rallies on this day because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Unions are instead urging supporters to deck their homes and balconies with banners or take to social media to spread the message.

The country's Trades Union Congress shelved its planned events last month but said "it was more important than ever to mark the contribution that workers make", especially as staff in the country's health service are risking their lives fighting the virus.

According to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, “this year’s May Day celebration is an unfortunately muted one because of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which is affecting all and sundry”

Ghanaian workers will join their global counterparts virtually to joyously celebrate this year's May Day event.

Today, Ghanaweb travels back to history to treat you with a footage showing the country’s First May Day Celebration at the Black star square in Accra.

It was attended by Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah and his family. Nkrumah, an intimate friend of labour, was declared the "First No. 1 Worker” and was decorated with a May Day Award by the TUC.

Below is the historic footage