[/caption]Many people know that the first Monday in September, September 6th this year, is Labor Day, however, not so many people know what Labor Day actually is, and what it started out as.
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday which is observed on the first Monday of September. It started unofficially on September 5, 1882 in New York City by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation's first integrated major trade union. It first became a federal holiday in 1894. It started after a number of workers in the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals died during the Pullman Strike. President Grover Cleveland put reconcilliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Further conflict was feared, so legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unaminously and signed merely six days after the end of the strike.
The September date which was originally chosen by the Central Labor Union of New York was kept by many of the nation's unions for years before Labor Day became a national holiday, so it was chosen by the government as the official date.
Since then, all 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day official state holidays as well.
Labor Day celebrations have usually included a street parade to exhibit to the public, "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," this was what was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday. This parade was usually followed by a festival for the workers and their family.
Continue reading on the next page.
This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations, and since then a few things have been added, including speeches by prominent men and women, and also the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday. It was dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the Labor Movement.
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