U.S. Holidays 

Labor Day

This holiday, which always is observed on the first Monday of September has been a federal holiday since 1894, but was observed in some places before that day as a result of a campaign by an early organization of workers called the Knights of Labor.


Its purpose is to honor the nation's working people. In many cities the day is marked by parades of working people representing the labor unions.

The celebration of Labor Day was first suggested by Peter J. McGuire, founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. It was initiated in the U.S. in 1882 by the Knights of Labor, who held a large parade in New York City. In 1884 the group held a parade on the first Monday of September and passed a resolution to hold all future parades on that day and to designate the day as Labor Day. In March 1887, the first state law to declare the day a legal holiday was passed in Colorado, followed by New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. In 1894 the U.S. Congress made the day a legal holiday. Parades, and speeches by labor leaders and political figures, mark Labor Day celebrations.

Most Americans consider Labor Day the end of the summer, and the beaches and other popular resort areas are packed with people enjoying one last three-day weekend. For many students it marks the opening of the school year.

See also:
About the USA: Economy – Labor

Abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials

Background
· Celebrate! Holidays in the USA: Labor Day
· The First Labor Day (Library of Congress)
· The History of Labor Day (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
· Labor History Timeline (AFL-CIO)
· Labor in America - the Worker's Role (Outline of the U.S. Economy)
· Labor Law: An Overview (Legal Information Institute. Cornell University)
· The Origins of Labor Day. (PBS Online NewsHour)
· U.S. Department of Labor
· Working Heroes--Men and Women Who Shaped America's Labor Movement (AFL-CIO)

Statistics
· Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. Department of Labor)
· Facts for Features: Labor Day 2007 (U.S. Census Bureau)

Exhibits - Digital Images
· 100 Years of Struggle and Success (AFL-CIO)
· Between a Rock and a Hard Place (National Museum of American History)
· From Carbon to Computers: The Changing American Office (Smithsonian)
· Lost Labor: Images of Vanished American Workers 1900-1980
· Triangle Factory Fire (Cornell University. School of Industrial and Labor Relations)

For High School Students
· Celebrating Labor Day (Holiday Zone)
· Labor Day (Surfing the Net with Kids)

Teacher Resources
· A Curriculum of United States Labor History for Teachers (Illinois Labor History Society)
· Striking a Deal. Learning the History of American Labor Strikes. Lesson Plan. (New York Times Learning Network)

Link Lists
· African American Labor History Links (AFSCME )
· The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) · Labor History on the Web (AFL-CIO)
· Union Websites (AFL-CIO)
· Yahoo! Holidays and Observances: Labor Day
· Women's Labor History (AFSCME )

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