High-Cotton

White Shirt Day/White T-Shirt Day

Date When Celebrated: Always February 11th

White Shirt Day honors the men and women who participated in a sit-down strike at General Motors in 1937. These auto workers helped the United Auto Workers (UAW) union to become the sole bargaining agent for General Motors autoworkers. The strike ended on this day in 1937.

According to the UAW's website, the traditions of White Shirt Day are simple:

• Everyone must wear a white shirt or blouse
• Your white shirt must not get dirtier than your boss's shirt
•  Safety and work rules must be followed.

Somewhere along the way, this day evolved into White T-Shirt Day for some people. Except for UAW workers and their families, this UAW event was probably lost or forgotten. Those who chanced across the reference to White Shirt Day, most likely created their own version of this day, giving birth to the term White T-Shirt Day.

Please wear a white shirt today. And, honor UAW workers, along with their accomplishments.

Important Note: It's "White T-Shirt Day", not "Wet T-Shirt Day". However, if the T-Shirt is white, you can get it wet today. Or, you can enjoy watching someone in a wet T-Shirt.

Origin of White T-Shirt Day:

Bert Christenson, a member of UAW Local 598, initiated White Shirt Day, in February 11, 1948. It is an annual event. It is best known in Flint, Michigan and other localities that have a GM auto plant.