Today is William Davis Miners’ Memorial Day (Davis Day)

This Thursday June 11th is William Davis Miners’ Memorial Day (“Davis Day“), and as per annual tradition on June 11th of every year, the United Mine Workers (UMWA) are holding Davis Day commemorations on the morning of Thursday June 11th. This year, the Davis Day ecumenical church service and wreath laying ceremony will be held in New Waterford.

For folks who are not familiar with the history of Davis Day, please see the Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Davis_Miners%27_Memorial_Day for more details on the origins of the day, which are in commemoration of the death of coal miner William Davis who was shot to death on a mining strike at approximately 11:00am on June 11th, 1925.

This year is the 90th Anniversary Commemoration of Davis Day.

This year, the Davis Day commemorations in Cape Breton will take place in New Waterford on Thursday June 11th, with the schedule as follows:

10:00AM: Ecumenical Church Service at Calvin United Church on Hudson Street in New Waterford.

11:00AM: Laying of Wreaths and Davis Day Service at Davis Square on Plummer Avenue in New Waterford (with the Men of the Deeps, Rev. Duncan Roach, members of the Davis Family, trade union leaders from UMWA and other dignataries).

As this is the 90th Anniversary Commemoration of Davis Day, United Mineworkers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil Roberts will be the guest speaker at the wreath-laying ceremony.

Trade unionists and community members are strongly encouraged to attend this annual ceremony.