White Shirt Day is an annual observance celebrated on February 11 of every year. Every strike in history would have made some form of impact, and so is the day. People who sat down to get their rights always needed to be remembered and appreciated, as, without their support, things wouldn’t have been made possible. Those who know the United Auto Workers (UAW) union know what this day is about. The White Shirt Day is one such celebration Day that honors those men and women who participated in a sit-down strike held at General Motors in 1937. It was after this incident that the UAW union became the sole bargaining agent for General Motors’ autoworkers.
“You can wear them with anything. It’s the person and the way that they wear it that makes it different. I have been designing white shirts forever, but I don’t get tired of it.” – Carolina Herrera
History of White Shirt Day
White Shirt Day has been celebrated since 1948. Bert Christenson, a member of UAW Local 598, is the initiator of this Day. The author precisely chose the date, 1937, which marks the end of a union sit-down strike by General Motors employees. Christenson has created such a day to honor the men and women who had actively participated in the strike.
Those auto workers were the ones who helped the United Auto Workers (UAW) union to become the single business agent for the General Motors autoworkers. As a part of the symbolism of this strike and as a form of remembrance, everyone wears a white shirt or blouse to celebrate this Day. The Day is also called the White T-Shirt Day as someone who didn’t know the history has made it his own version.
Other Celebrations on February 11
February 11 is also celebrated as
- National Get Out Your Guitar Day
- National Make A Friend Day
- Satisfied Staying Single Day
- National Pro Sports Wives Day
- National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day
- Promise Day
- National Peppermint Patty Day
- World Marriage Day
How to Celebrate the Day
The best way to celebrate the Day is to wear a white shirt or blouse. Wear the shirt wherever you go, from the office to the shopping. Show your love, honor, appreciation, and recognition to those people who were involved in the strike. You can learn in detail about the history of the strike made by the General Motors employees on this very special day. Find out how many struggles they have endured to get their right. Share all this information with the people around you and ask them to participate in the celebration. Don’t forget to post your white shirt photos on social media using the hashtag #WhiteShirtDay.
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