Did You Know? 5 Fun Facts About Labor Day
The first Monday of every September commemorates the accomplishments of the nation’s employees. When Labor Day began in the 19th century, many people worked 12-hour days every day of the week. The labor movement that gave rise to the holiday helped set the stage for weekends, shorter workdays and better working conditions.
To kick off this year’s celebration, here are five fun facts you may not know about Labor Day.
In the beginning
The first Labor Day celebration took place in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882. An estimated 20,000 people gave up a day’s wages to attend a parade. While the parade took place on a Tuesday, the holiday soon switched to Mondays so that workers could enjoy a three-day weekend.
Spreading across the country
Though the first parade took place in New York, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday when it passed a bill in 1887. Later that year, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Colorado did the same. Others quickly followed suit, and more than half of U.S. states had marked Labor Day as a holiday before its federal recognition in 1894.
Similarities between the U.S. and Canada
The U.S. and Canada made Labor Day a national holiday in the same year. Both countries observe Labor Day on the first Monday in September. Historians note that Canada’s Labor Day movement predates the U.S. version, with labor demonstrations and celebrations first taking place in Toronto, Ontario in 1872.
Lasting traditions
Parades, picnics and recreation were hallmarks of early Labor Day celebrations, and these traditions are still being honored today. The New York City parade is an annual event, and it takes place slightly north of the original march in 1882.
McGuire or Maguire?
Two people with similar last names are credited as the founders of Labor Day in the U.S.: carpenter Peter McGuire and machinist Matthew Maguire. Both played prominent roles in the labor movement and attended the 1882 parade in New York. Since historians are unsure which one originated the idea of a Labor Day celebration, both men typically get credit for founding the holiday.
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