When thinking of Labor Day you often picture picnics, barbecues and parades. However, Labor Day, celebrated the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to social and economic achievements of American workers.
The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, and the first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act officially declaring Labor Day as a legal holiday.
While the holiday is often viewed as the last hurrah of summer, there is much more to this historical day.
– Miranda Dodd, SLJ 100 Communications