Labor Day Celebrates 125 years

Labor Day, a creation of the labor movement, is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of the American worker. It is a tribute to what workers have done to add to the prosperity and well-being of our country.

The first recognition by the government started in 1885 and 1886. From these seeds, a movement developed for legislation to recognize the holiday. By 1894 many states had created Labor Day legislation and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday of September of each year a legal holiday in all states, territories and the District of Columbia.

There is still some doubt as to who actually first proposed the holiday for workers. Some say it is Peter J. McGuire, who was General Secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and also the co-founder of The American Federation of Labor. However, others believe that machinist, Matthew Maguire first proposed the holiday. Maguire was Secretary of the Association of Machinists in Paterson, NJ, when he proposed the holiday in 1882. At that time he was Secretary of the Central Labor Union of NY. What we do know, is that the Central Labor Union adopted Labor Day as a proposal and organized a committee to plan a labor march and picnic. The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882.

From there, many more states adopted the holiday and it was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland on June 28, 1894. A nationwide holiday today, many celebrate with picnics, parades and speeches.  Below are a few Labor Day fun facts.

  • Oregon was the first state to celebrate Labor Day as a legal state holiday in 1887
  •  Americans worked a 12 hour day seven days a week during the 19th century
  •  “No white after Labor Day” refers to the return of the upper class from summer vacation, when they would put away their white and light colored summertime clothing
  •  Labor Day is the unofficial end of hot dog season according to the National Hot Dog and   Sausage Council
  •  The Adamson Act of 1916 established an eight hour work day
  •  There is still a Labor Day Parade in New York City, it takes place throughout the 20 blocks north of the 1882 labor march