The first Monday of every September is known as Labor Day in the US, a “howliday” created as a way to acknowledge the social and economic achievements of American workers. Labor Day was a long time in the making, beginning with local ordinances in the late 1800’s which eventually morphed into the state legislation. Although New York was the first state to introduce legislation, the first state to actually pass it was Oregon on February 21, 1887. Four more states-Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York joined the movement in 1887 and passed state laws creating the Labor Day holiday. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania followed and by 1894, 23 more states adopted the holiday. Congress passed a national law on June 28, 1884, making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
There has been some dispute as to whose idea it was to propose a day acknowledging the contributions of workers. Some records points to Peter J. McGuire, (general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor) was first suggesting a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”
However, the history suggesting Peter McGuire’s was the ‘father of the Labor Day movement has not gone unchallenged. Many suggested it was Matthew Maguire (a machinist and later union leader), and not Peter McGuire, who founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support that notion. What is certain is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the Central Labor Union plans. A second Labor Day holiday was held the following year on September 5, 1883 and in 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, with the Central Labor Union urging labor organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations throughout many industrial centers in the country.
Public parades showing “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations,” followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families were the original ideas behind the celebration and continues to this day. In recent times, Labor Day is often associated with the informal end of summer. Our friend, autumn officially arrives in just 19 days. Hallelujah!
While more people are associated with high-tech work than with manufacturing these days, it’s the entire work force that contributes to the standard of living we enjoy and only seems fitting to acknowledge the economic contribution workers made toward the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership. Here at the Ranch, we’re going to kick back, hang out and enjoy a pleasant day and be grateful for all workers who contributed in making this day a national holiday. For those of you enjoying the long weekend, we hope you enjoy this extra day off but don’t forget to remember it was all made possible by hard-working folks. Here’s to a pawtastic day and wagnificent week.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Even though we have this holiday, I think the hard work of the everyday people still goes largely unappreciated. It seems to me our country spends more time glorifying celebrities than the people that make our every day lives much easier..
Wow, that sounded cynical, didn’t it? 🙂
It is quite sad, we seem more concerned with how many likes and retweets we have than anything else. *Sigh*
Labor Day is one of our busiest holiday weekends in retail because it always coincides with the first weekend of the month. Thank goodness school’s already long back in session by then here, or it would be a really crazy weekend. Anyway, I always find it amusing to point out I’ve labored every Labor Day of my working life… Monday holidays don’t do a Wednesday/Thursday weekend person any good anyway!
I know what you mean. When I owned the hardware store, it was just another Monday for me too.
Excellent … and as I like to say, everything has a history.
I’ve always been fascinated by history and historical perspectives surrounding past events. Others may not share that passion, but I’ve always thought reflection on history is important.
That’s really interesting. Being a lifelong union backer, I’ve always appreciated Labor Day and the hard-working folks it honors.
Labor? That’s a political party, right? ‘Cause I do not support Labor. No Labor, uh, uh. Not for me.
😁 No labor, just a day of chillaxin and beers.
I did not know this history of Labour Day. Thanks for the lesson.
Shoko and Jean
Happy Labor Day!!! – we sure hope it ushers in some cooler weather.
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Happy Labor Day…for sure a holiday we need to be especially aware of and thankful for these days.
Amen!
Labor Day was invented by Eve.
It seems like it sometimes. 😉
Happy Labor Day. ♥
Right back atcha!
You did an excellent job reminding many of the reason millions of people didn’t go to work today. We are home for the most part – our Pet Therapy team has been invited to the minor leagues baseball game this afternoon so that’s where the Boys, Doodle Dad and I will be. It’s extremely hot out there today – so we may not stay long – but we’ll make an apprearance. Enjoy your day!
How fun for you guys. Enjoy the ball game. I’m glad the temps here have finally started to cool off. There was even some snow on Pikes Peak over the weekend (though it’s gone for the most part now). I welcome it, I’m so over summer!
If not for the lovely thunder storm we are enjoying today, I would have been working. Thankfully, all has been cancelled so I can be one of the working stiffs who gets the day off… And there is hope that this rain will give us some reprieve over the bloody humidity we’ve been “enjoying”!
Happy Labour Day – coz here, too, in Canada, we celebrate!
Yay! Day’s off are nourishment for a worker’s soul. Enjoy that storm, I’m keeping my fingers crossed the moisture gods look favorably on us today. 🤞🏼
They are indeed! Especially when they are unexpected… they become more of a gift…
Fingers crossed for ya.
Unexpected gifts are the best.
The bestEST!
It got hot again here. Over 90% humidity. The grass won’t even dry enough to be able to cut it. It usually looks more like the Sierra here this time of year, but now it is looking (and feeling) like the Amazon (bugs included). Oh, happy Labor Day.
Eek…sorry to hear that weather report. It’s finally pleasant enough to enjoy being outside this week. I think Autumn is ready to make an appearance. There was even an inch of snow on Pikes Peak over the weekend. Yay!
Ducky has been in hyper mode all. weekend. long! It’s time for her to calm down so the rest of us can relax! Anyway, thanks for the background on the howliday – I didn’t realize it went back that far. This year I salute all those federal government employees whose pay raises were canceled by 45 this past Saturday. I hope they all rise up on Election Day and give him the Democrat(ic) majority in both houses of Congress that he deserves!!
I will drink to that! 🍷