Labor day is celebrated in America on the first Monday of September every year. The day celebrates the American worker and offers a day off for many workers and students.
Many outdoor recreational activities will take place on Labor Day. Activities such as boating, barbecues and camping. It is a way to celebrate the end of summer as well. Students that are not in school as of yet will head back and students like those in our area will start attending regular schedule rather than hot weather schedule.
Parades of demonstrators, labor organizations, politician supporters and others will strive to get their voice heard on Labor day as well. Brooklyn has played host to one of the largest parades on Labor Day with millions of participants joining in.
Labor Day was started by a New York Central Labor Union when a machinist Matthew Maguire proposed a labor day holiday to take place in 1882. It would take over 10 years for it to become a federal holiday in 1894. Over 1/2 the states had all ready recognized the day in one way or another and President Grover Cleveland signed the bill that was used to celebrate union workers.
In 1882 the Knights of Labor held their own parade with a labor theme. There are many others that helped to make Labor Day a day to celebrate American Workers. Here are a few fun facts for you::
- There are over 155 million people over the age of 16 that are in the American Workforce
- Many workers drive at least 25 minutes on a commute to work
- Workers in the 1800s often worked 12 hours a day, every day this was put to an end in 1916 when the 8 hour work day was established
- Oregon was the first state to recognize and celebrate the holiday officially
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