In the Beginning……
In the year of 1894, Labor Day became a legal national holiday, designated by an act of Congress. That was 130 years ago!
Many people don’t understand the significance of this September holiday. For most people, it is just an extra-long weekend to relax, go to the beach or the mountains, attend a local fair, go back-to-school shopping, and it signals the transition from the Summer season into Fall.
Before the U.S. Congress passed the law making it a holiday, over 25 states had “adopted” the holiday, Oregon being the first to make it legal in 1887. The official day chosen for Labor Day was the first Monday in September.
McGuire or Maguire……..Who’s Responsible?
There has been a controversy about who really started this Labor Day tradition. The two men credited with founding Labor Day were from rival unions: The Carpenters’ Union and the Machinists. Some records say that in 1892, Peter J. McGuire, Secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (also a co-founder of AFL union), wanted a special day set aside for the laboring classes. Other research seems to indicate that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday as early as 1882 while holding the position of secretary of New York’s Central Labor Union. Regardless of which person came up with the idea, we now enjoy the 3-day weekend regularly every year.
First Labor Day Parade
President Grover Cleveland signed the law that created our National Labor Day; New York City held the country’s first Labor Day Parade in 1882, with both Maguire and McGuire in attendance. The parade that year was held on a Tuesday; it had been planned by the Central Labor Union.
Over 20,000 people attended that first parade, and workers gave up a day’s wage to attend. A newspaper account reported “men on horseback, men in regalia, men with society aprons, and men with flags, musical instruments, badges and all the other paraphernalia of a procession.”
At 10 a.m., Grand Marshall William McCabe and his police escorts were ready and in position. It was time to move forward, but there was no music to march to. Suddenly, Matthew Maguire ran across the lawn and announced that 200 marchers from the Jeweler’s Union in Newark had arrived on the ferry, and they had a band. Hurrah! The marching jewelers turned down Broadway; the band was playing a Gilbert and Sullivan number called “When I First Put This Uniform On .” The jewelers led the way in the parade, followed by Grand Marshall McCabe. Spectators joined the parade, and with many people stepping into place, the parade became a sea of moving people of between 10,000 and 20,000!
The parade traveled through lower Manhattan and arrived at its termination point, Reservoir Park. A post-parade party at Wendel’s Elm Park included speeches, a picnic, an abundance of free cigars, and beer kegs. That night, the party continued until 9 p.m., attended by 25,000 union members and their families. What a memorable celebration!
Labor Day’s Origin
Labor Day’s origination came “during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters.” The late 1800s was the height of the country’s Industrial Revolution; average Americans worked 7 days a week, 12-hour days, just to pay for life’s bare necessities. Despite laws in some states, young children of even 5 or 6 years worked in factories, mines, and mills; conditions were often unsafe, unsanitary, and unhealthy. Labor unions began organizing strikes, some becoming violent.
Eventually, due to the needs of the American workers, legislation was passed to repair ties and strengthen the positions of the American workers. This included creating a legal holiday to honor and benefit workers: Labor Day. Many cities began to plan Labor Day parades and festivities, which expanded to also include speeches by prominent men and women declaring the civic and economic importance of this holiday. In the late 1900s, this holiday evolved to be less about “labor” and more about “leisure,” a holiday of vacationing and celebrating summer’s end.
Make Fun Labor Day Plans
With a three-day weekend before us and the weather still “friendly,” there are many options for things to do—indoors or outdoors. It’s a time to relax and enjoy your family and friends before the busy “back-to-school” and demanding “on-the-job” schedules kick in.
Here are some ideas for fun activities for the weekend:
- Go fishing! Or camping! (Or both).
- Have a cookout with neighbors, family, and friends. (Decorate the backyard festively for the event. Kids love to decorate!)
- Watch a parade, or plan your own neighborhood parade.
- Set up a scavenger hunt.
- Play yard games: croquet, horseshoes, cornhole, ring toss, etc.
- Go to a ballgame at the stadium; enjoy hotdogs and other treats.
- Have a movie night ( indoors, or even set up one in the backyard.)
- Go on a hike, enjoying the scenery and wildlife. (Lots of places to do this in the Northwest!)
- Make homemade old-fashioned ice cream. (Crank it!)
- Have a “Staycation”…….go to a local hotel one night, or just spend a day at a park.
- Go camping, kayaking, biking, or birdwatching.
- Visit the Zoo…….(we have at least two great zoos in our area).
- Take your family to the bowling alley.
- Take the family to a drive-in movie….. (watching a movie “under the stars” in the car is a unique experience).
- Go on a shopping spree, taking advantage of the many Labor Day sales.
Have a fun and safe weekend…………and let’s remember with appreciation all the hard-working people in our community who are contributing to America’s strength, well-being, and prosperity!
Happy Labor Day!
