Current Commemoration
In commemoration of Davis' sacrifice, the United Mine Workers of America designated the day in his honour, with miners in Nova Scotia vowing to never work on "Davis Day" ever again. Davis Day was renamed District Memorial Day in 1938 (after District 26, U.M.W.A.) and in 1970, the date was changed to the second Monday in June. In 1974 this was reverted, with the original name (Davis Day) and the date (June 11) being restored. For the remainder of the 20th century, the pledge of never working on June 11 was maintained and Davis Day was observed as a quasi-civic holiday in most mining communities. The closure of Nova Scotia's last coal mine in November 2001 by DEVCO has somewhat muted the importance of Davis Day, however it has evolved to become a remembrance day for all workers killed in mines in the province.
Davis Day is observed in some or all of the following communities where the UMWA organizes services:
- Alder Point
- Florence
- Sydney Mines
- New Victoria
- New Waterford
- North Sydney
- Dominion
- Glace Bay
- Port Morien
- Donkin
- Stellarton
- Westville
- Springhill
- River Hebert
In 1994, 1996 and 1999, private member's bills to officially designate June 11 as Davis (Miners Memorial) Day were introduced in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. They did not proceed past first reading. In 2008 a private member's bill to officially designate June 11 as William Davis Miners' Memorial Day was introduced and passed.
Read more about this topic: William Davis Miners' Memorial Day
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