The History of Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor the contributions of laborers in America. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. “Labor Day” was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, 30 states in the United States officially celebrated Labor Day.
Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, diverse groups of trade unionists chose a variety of days on which to celebrate labor. In the United States, a September holiday called Labor Day was first proposed in the early 1880s. Alternative accounts of the event’s origin exist. Descendants of two men with similar last names claim their great-grandfather was the true father of the holiday.
According to an early history of Labor Day, the event originated in connection with a General Assembly of the Knights of Labor convened in New York, NY in September of 1882. In connection with this Knights of Labor assembly, a public parade of various labor organizations was held on September 5th, under the sponsorship of the Central Labor Union of New York. Secretary of the Central Labor Union Matthew Maguire is credited for first proposing that a national Labor Day holiday subsequently be held on the first Monday of each September in the aftermath of this successful public demonstration.
An alternative theory maintains that the idea of Labor Day was the brainchild of Peter J. McGuire, a vice president of the American Federation of Labor, who, after a visit to Toronto where he saw parades celebrating labor that May, had put forward the initial proposal in the spring of 1882. According to Peter J. McGuire, a vice president of the American Federation of Labor, on May 8, 1882, he made a proposition to the fledgling Central Labor Union in New York City that a day be set aside for the laboring class. According to Peter J. McGuire, he suggested the first Monday in September as an ideal date for such a public celebration, owing to optimum weather and the date’s place on the calendar, sitting midway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving public holidays.
Labor Day is often referred to as the unofficial end of summer because it marks the end of the summer months, and of the fall months. In the United States, many school districts resume classes around the Labor Day holiday weekend. Some begin the week before, making Labor Day weekend the first three-day weekend of the school calendar, while others return the Tuesday following Labor Day. Many districts across the Midwest are opting to begin school after Labor Day.
Labor Day is/was, in fashion, considered the last day when it is acceptable to wear white or seersucker. The source of the tradition lies in part with the migration of wealthy 19th century New Yorkers back from their summer-home Newport Mansions and accompanying change back from summer clothes. The traditional last day to wear straw hats moved from around Labor Day to September 15th. In 1922, the Straw Hat Riot broke out due to gangs snatching the hats of men violating this rule in New York City.
Labor Day weekend also marks the beginning of several fall sports. National Collegiate Athletic Association teams usually play their first games that weekend, and the National Football League traditionally play their kickoff game the Thursday following Labor Day. The Southern 500 NASCAR race has been held on Labor Day weekend at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina from 1950 to 2003 and since 2015. At Indianapolis Raceway Park, the National Hot Rod Association hold their finals of the NHRA U.S. Nationals drag race that weekend.
The History of Memorial Day – https://www.therealmjtheterrible.com/the-history-of-memorial-day/
