the history of labor day
labor day differs in every essential from the other holidays of the year in any country said samuel gompers founder and longtime president of the american federation of labor all other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man\'s prowess over man of strife and discord for greed and power of glories achieved by one nation over another labor dayis devoted to no man living or dead to no sect race or nation
labor day the first monday in september is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of american workers it constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength prosperity and wellbeing of our country
founder of labor day
more than 100 years after the first labor day observance there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers
some records show that peter j mcguire general secretary of the brotherhood of carpenters and joiners and a cofounder of the american federation of labor was first in suggesting a day to honor those who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold
but peter mcguire\'s place in labor day history has not gone unchallenged many believe that matthew maguire a machinist not peter mcguire founded the holiday recent research seems to support the contention that matthew maguire later the secretary of local 344 of the international association of machinists in paterson nj proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the central labor union in new york what is clear 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
the first labor day holiday was celebrated on tuesday september 5 1882 in new york city in accordance with the plans of the central labor union the central labor union held its second labor day holiday just a year later on september 5 l883
in l884 the first monday in september was selected as the holiday as originally proposed and the central labor union urged similar 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 and in l885 labor day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country
labor day legislation
through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to labor day the first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886 from them developed the movement to secure state legislation the first state bill was introduced into the new york legislature but the first to become law was passed by oregon on february 2l l887 during the year four more states colorado massachusetts new jersey and new york created the labor day holiday by legislative enactment by the end of the decade connecticut nebraska and pennsylvania had followed suit by 1894 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers and on june 28 of that year congress passed an act making the first monday in september of each year a legal holiday in the district of columbia and the territories
a nationwide holiday
the form that the observance and celebration of labor day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday a street parade to exhibit to the public the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations of the community followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families this became the pattern for the celebrations of labor day speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday still later by a resolution of the american federation of labor convention of 1909 the sunday preceding labor day was adopted as labor sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement
the character of the labor day celebration has undergone a change in recent years especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem this change however is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression labor day addresses by leading union officials industrialists educators clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers radio and television
the vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy it is appropriate therefore that the nation pay tribute on labor day to the creator of so much of the nation\'s strength freedom and leadership the american worker
labor\'s day is on may 1st labor\'s day is an international day for workers working is glorious and we should respect workers the labor\'s day is workers\' holiday and workers can enjoy themselves to their heart\'s content many people choose to travel and some others will go to the cinema some will go to parks and others will stay at home
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