The First Monday in September
- gallopade
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
A Holiday Honoring the Laboring Classes of America
Labor Day has become the unofficial “end of summer” moniker; the grill covers close on back-yard barbecues, the swimsuits get packed up, and the backpacks come back out for another school year. Behind this beloved holiday, though, is a rich history with a fascinating beginning that celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of America’s workers.
The Founding Father(s) of Labor Day: McGuire v. Maguire
While celebrating this holiday is something that most Americans have probably done for as long as they can remember, the origins of Labor Day are most likely not as well-known. However, there is a bit of historical detective work to be done to determine who the “Founding Father of Labor Day” is, as it is a disputed topic.
One of the answers could be that Peter J. McGuire was the man who started Labor Day back in 1882. He was a prominent carpenter, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, and general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. Many historians believe he suggested the holiday in 1882 as a time to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."[1]
On the other hand, there are some historians who believe that Matthew Maguire was the one who originally proposed the holiday in 1882. He was a machinist who served as the secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York.[2] While both men can be credited with establishing Labor Day for American workers, the debate continues to this day!
The First Official Celebration
In America’s early days, people of all ages, particularly the extremely poor, often faced harsh and unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to proper air conditioning, sanitary facilities, and breaks. As manufacturing supplanted agriculture in American employment, labor unions began organizing strikes and rallies to protest these poor conditions. With the strikes and the rallies mounting, change was in the air as cities and states saw legislation passed to recognize a day for the “workingmen’s holiday.”[3]
The first Labor Day celebration, organized by the Central Labor Union, took place on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The parade featured about 10,000 workers, who took unpaid leave to attend the parade, and their families who marched along Broadway Street. They carried banners with slogans that read “Eight Hours for Work, Eight Hours for Rest, Eight Hours for Recreation." After the parade, the celebrations continued with picnics, concerts, and speeches—much like our modern celebrations, maybe with less hot dogs and hamburgers though![4]
131 Years of Labor Day
Though the meaning of Labor Day has evolved and changed, Labor Day continues to celebrate the American worker. Today, this holiday weekend is now a time for barbecues and getaways, but the Labor Day parades and celebrations still abound in many cities across America.[5] For many families, this day marks the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year for their children.
When we fire up the grill or head to the beach this Labor Day, we're participating in a tradition that's over 130 years old—a tradition that celebrates the spirit, strength, and perseverance of American workers throughout our history. While we might associate it today with a three-day weekend and sales at the mall, Labor Day remains an important reminder of the hard-won rights that workers now enjoy. It's a chance to reflect on how far we've come and the value of the work we do every day.
So, this Labor Day, between bites of watermelon and games of catch, take a moment to appreciate the holiday's rich history and the generations of workers who made our modern work-life balance possible!
Sources:
[1] “The History of Labor Day”, U.S. Department of Labor, August 1, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history#:~:text=The%20first%20Labor%20Day%20holiday,each%20year%20a%20national%20holiday.
[2] ibid
[3] “Labor Day 2025”, History.com, August 1, 2025, https://www.history.com/articles/labor-day
[4] “Labor Daze - Pride, Chaos… on Labor’s First ‘Day’”, U.S. Department of Labor, August 1, 2025, https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history-daze
[5] Sandroff, Ronni, “The History of Labor Day”, Investopedia, May 27, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/news/history-labor-day/
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