Labor Day began as a way to celebrate the American working class and their contributions to society.
It started as a parade
On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. It was followed by picnics all around the city and fireworks at night. In 1884, the holiday was again observed, this time on the first Monday in September.
By 1885, the idea had begun to spread through labor unions. Many industrial centers throughout the country began to celebrate it. Soon, all states started celebrating Labor Day. Finally, in 1894, Congress voted to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday. Today, it’s officially celebrated on the first Monday in September.
The founder discrepancy
Surprisingly, there is still some discrepancy surrounding who the actual founder of Labor Day is. Some sources give credit to Peter McGuire, a carpenter and co-founder of the American Federation of Labor. Others say it was Matthew Macguire, a machinist and secretary for the Central Labor Union in New York.
Regardless of who its founder was, American workers enjoy celebrating Labor Day each September. Basically, most Americans consider it the unofficial end of summer. Beaches and other popular resort areas are packed with people enjoying one last three-day weekend.
Source: thoughtco.com
Photo by DustyPixel / Getty Images
Related: Happy Labor Day! – TUTORING YOU
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