National Miners Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
U.S. Department of Labor / Mine Safety and Health Administration; Congress-designated observance
About National Miners Day
National Miners Day is observed in the United States on 6 December to recognize miners and the importance and hazards of mining work.
The U.S. Senate agreed to S.Res.337 on 3 December 2009, designating 6 December 2009 as National Miners Day; federal mining agencies later continued annual observance.
Why National Miners Day matters
The day recognizes miners’ contributions and draws attention to mine safety and health.
December 6 recalls the Monongah mine disaster of 6 December 1907 in West Virginia, one of the deadliest mining disasters in U.S. history.
History of National Miners Day
S.Res.337 was submitted in November 2009 and agreed to by the U.S. Senate on 3 December 2009.
The resolution designated 6 December 2009 as National Miners Day and tied the date to the 1907 Monongah disaster.
The Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration now marks National Miners Day each December, but the 2009 Senate resolution itself was a designation for that year rather than a statute creating a permanent federal holiday.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
U.S. Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV
The Senate resolution record identifies the West Virginia senators with the National Miners Day measure.
United States Senate
Senate Resolution 337 (111th Congress)
First documented observance
S.Res.337 designated December 6, 2009 as National Miners Day; no earlier observance under that name is established in the reviewed sources.
U.S. Department of Labor / Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
MSHA publishes annual National Miners Day recognition and safety messaging.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe National Miners Day
Recognize miners and mining communities.
Learn about mine-safety history and current occupational-safety practices from MSHA.
Remember workers who have died or been injured in mining disasters.
Explore the role of mining in infrastructure, industry and local economies while considering worker safety and environmental responsibilities.
National Miners Day Facts
National Miners Day is observed on December 6.
The U.S. Senate agreed to S.Res.337 on 3 December 2009.
The 2009 resolution designated December 6 of that year as National Miners Day.
The date recalls the Monongah mine disaster of 6 December 1907.
DOL/MSHA later describes National Miners Day as an annual December observance.
National Miners Day Messages
May National Miners Day encourage continued attention to mine safety, health and worker protection.
Remembering miners who lost their lives and honoring those who continue the work today.
May December 6 strengthen awareness of miners’ contributions and the importance of safe working conditions.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
GovInfo — Congressional Record, 3 December 2009 (opens in a new tab)
U.S. Department of Labor — National Miners Day (opens in a new tab)
Federal Agency Observance
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Miners Day?
6 December The documented recurrence rule is: 6 December.
Does National Miners Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Miners Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States — miner recognition observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Miners Day?
The reviewed sources identify United States Senate as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as U.S. Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as U.S. Department of Labor / Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Is National Miners Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: United States — miner recognition observance. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-06.
When is National Miners Day?
It is observed on 6 December.
Why is National Miners Day on December 6?
The 2009 Senate resolution ties the date to the Monongah mine disaster of 6 December 1907.
Did S.Res.337 create a permanent federal holiday?
No. S.Res.337 designated 6 December 2009. Later Department of Labor/MSHA material documents annual commemoration, but the resolution itself was not a permanent federal-holiday statute.
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