What is Labor Day? What does it mean and how did it start?
The federal holiday, marked every first Monday of September, reflects one the working movement's greatest achievements.
Labor Day recognizes the contributions of working people, but the date was born amid political unrest over abhorrent working conditions in the United States.
In fact, the revolutionary roots of the date are often dismissed, despite the holiday stemming from a relentless fight against outrageous work conditions.
The Industrial Revolution was responsible for making working life miserable for people around the world by the end of the 19th century.
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Children and adults alike toiled for hours on end in oppressive conditions until industrial action broke out among the working class.
This led to organized strikes, which spanned a decade from the 1860s to 1870s, fighting for recognition of the working class’s contributions, shorter work days, and improved conditions.
Oregon became the first state to declare Labor Day a holiday in 1887, shortly followed by Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
A year earlier, in 1886, an alternative date had emerged to celebrate workers, being May Day, marked on May 1st.
As the influence of the unions dwindled in the United States over time, the significance of Labor Day changed drastically for the nation.
Today, Labor Day is synonymous with honoring the workers in the United States and Canada, and recognizing their contributions to society.
Observed on the first Monday of September, it celebrates all workers on American soil, though there is no particular significance to the date.
Peter J. McGuire, a Union leader and founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, is often credited for introducing the date.
The date was picked by McGuire because it falls roughly halfway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.
For many, Labor Day has become synonymous with an end-of-summer celebration and a long weekend for family get-togethers. In many parts of the country, however, the date is still commemorated with political rallies, parades, and speeches.
