Labor Day: A Different Kind of Holiday

"Labor Day differs in every essential way 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 Day...is devoted to no man, living or deed, to no sect, race, or nation."

Labor Day is a holiday started by the Central Labor Union to honor the working man and reward him for all his hard work by giving him a day off, a day of rest.

While today Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September, the very first Labor Day was Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. It wasn't until two years later that the first Monday in September was selected as the day to celebrate the workingman's holiday.

The acceptance of this holiday spread quickly and by 1885 it was celebrated in many industrial cities in America. However, it wasn't until 1887 that any states passed legislation making Labor Day a legal holiday. Oregon was the first state to do so, followed quickly by New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

June 28, 1894 was the day Congress passed an act making Labor Day a national holiday.

For many years Labor Day was celebrated with parades followed by speeches from prominent men of the community and then topped off with games and activities for the workers and their families.

Today, Labor Day is viewed in different terms. Some see it as the unofficial end of summer, kids see it as the start of school being just a few days away, some see it as a three day weekend that can be spent as one last getaway before the end of summer, or time to get together for a barbecue with family and friends. Yet others see it as a day to spend in stores shopping, taking advantage of Labor Day sales. Which kind of defeats the purpose of Labor Day since someone has to work in the store during these sales.

It would be nice if on Labor Day everyone paused a moment to think of the American workers of the past who by the sweat of their brow and strength of their muscles built this great country of ours. And if you are a working person, enjoy your day. This holiday is for you!