Why do we celebrate Labor Day?
The holiday originated in 1882 as a result of the labor movement and was intended to be a day of rest to recognize the efforts of the average working man. While there is some disagreement as to who first proposed the idea of Labor Day, many historians typically credit a man named Peter J. McGuire – who was the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor – as the man who first advocated for the holiday’s creation. However, other historians in recent years have pointed to a machinist named Matthew Maguire as the man responsible for developing the holiday while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. Regardless of the discrepancy as to who deserves the credit, it was ultimately the Central Labor Union that adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to organize an official celebration on September 5, 1882 in New York City. The first Monday in September was designated as the holiday becau
For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894. Labor unions themselves celebrated the first labor days in the United States, although there’s some speculation as to exactly who came up with the idea. Most historians credit Peter McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, with the original idea of a day for workers to show their solidarity. Others credit Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J. The first Labor Day parade occurred Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. The workers’ unions
Why do we celebrate Labor Day? For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894. Labor unions themselves celebrated the first labor days in the United States, although there’s some speculation as to exactly who came up with the idea. Most historians credit Peter McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, with the original idea of a day for workers to show their solidarity. Others credit Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J. The first Labor Day parade occurred Sept. 5, 1882, in New
