Labor Day has been a national holiday in Canada the United States since 1894. The day pays tribute to working women and men and officially marks the end of the summer season. Here are the historical reasons behind the celebration of Labor Day.
A day for workers to show their solidarity
Labor Day came into being the U.S. as a day where workers could show their solidarity and their support for the labor unions. Historians disagree about who actually invented the day but it is widely accepted that the first labor days in the United States was created and celebrated by labor unions themselves.
A holiday between Independence Day and Thanksgiving
It is said that Labor Day was assigned to a day in September because it represented the halfway mark between the American independent day and the day of thanksgiving. Having a day off during this time allowed workers to enjoy a day with their families and friends as a proper holiday before the cold started to set in. since labor day was assigned to a day at the end of summer, workers and their families flocked to the beaches to enjoy the sun before the weather changed.
A remnant of the labor movement of the 1950s and ‘60s
During the 1950s, roughly forty percent of America’s population belonged to labor unions. This gave Labor Day immense significance during those days with the decline of the American manufacturing industry and the decline of the working class. However, the labor movement of the 1950s and ‘60s has left a tremendous impact on the American society as a whole and a celebration of Labor Day serves as a powerful reminder of the era that established America as the preeminent economic superpower in the world.
