What is Labor Day?
In a country where we celebrate and honor many cultural and religious holidays, Labor Day is unique in that it celebrates American workers. Labor Day is a holiday dedicated to honoring the contributions US workers have made to the strength and prosperity of our country. Ahead, learn how this holiday came to be and get some ideas for how to celebrate Labor Day Weekend.
History Of The Holiday
The first Labor Day was held on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The originator of this celebration was the Central Labor Union (CLU).
The creation of the holiday has been credited to two different people. Some historians believe Peter J. McGuire, the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, first suggested a holiday to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”
Others credit Matthew Maguire, a machinist and, later, secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Patterson, New Jersey, as the creator. Many say he proposed the idea of a holiday to honor the working class when he was serving as secretary of the CLU in New York in 1882. What is agreed upon is that the CLU adopted a proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and a picnic.