To many, Labor Day is known simply as the last holiday of the summer. You may think of it as one more chance to grill out in the late summer’s heat or a few more dips in a warm pool, but there is more to Labor Day than most of us think of during this three-day weekend. To learn about the history of Labor Day, read more below.
Traditionally recognized in the United States
on the first Monday in September, Labor Day was created as a day to recognize
labor workers following the labor movement of the 19th century, which demanded
an end to harsh working conditions, unlivable pay and little time away from the workplace.
During the Industrial Revolution, Americans
were working an average of 12 hours or more a day, seven days a week. Although
some states enforced age restrictions, children as young as five years old were working in mines, mills and factories, while
making a fraction of what their elders earned. People from all ages, but
specifically the poor and those newly immigrated to the U.S., were forced to
work in unsafe working conditions as their only way to support their families.
Because of these poor working conditions,
labor unions, which appeared in the late 18th century, began to speak louder,
organizing strikes and rallies against unfair conditions. They protested the
small wages and demanded employers reevaluate the number of hours worked and
working environments. Oftentimes, these protests ended violently.
On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers united
together while taking the day off, unpaid, and marched from City Hall to Union
Square in New York City, known today as the first Labor Day Parade. While this
date was an important triumph in the history of American workers, as well as an
opportunity to spread the word and impact legislation to recognize it in other
areas of the country, it did not cease the poor working conditions and small
wages everywhere in the U.S.
It wasn’t until 12 years later, in 1894, that
the problems American workers faced were brought into the public light. On May
11, 1894, employees at the Pullman Palace Car Company in
Chicago went on strike as a result of wage cuts and the firing of
representatives of their union. One month later, the American Railroad Union
boycotted the use of Pullman railway cars, causing railroad traffic nationwide
to suffer immensely. As a result, the federal government sent troops to Chicago
to assist in controlling and ending the strike, however this effort resulted in
more riots, and the deaths of many workers.
On June 28, 1894, two days after the deadly
riots in Chicago, President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law as a
legal holiday in Washington D.C. and all territories.
While many celebrate Labor Day as we know it today with picnics and parties, it’s important to note that the labor rights we have in the United States have not always been the same. As you take time to enjoy the day, be sure to remember and thank those that paved the way toward the working conditions and regulations we have in the United States today.
