USA’s Labor Day: Honoring Workers from 1882 to Today
- Teo Drinkovic
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
From the 1882 worker parades in New York to today’s protests and celebrations, the USA's Labor Day remains a symbol of workers’ rights and social struggle in America
Introduction
Every year, on the first Monday of September, the USA celebrates Labor Day, and this year, communities across America will honor this national holiday. This is a true federal holiday: federal offices will close, and many schools, businesses, and stores will shut down too.
The celebration and recognition of this day as a national holiday dates back to the first observance on September 5, 1882, with a parade of workers in New York City, marking the birth of Labor Day. AP News
Labor Day is celebrated in honor of American workers and traces its roots to the labor movement.
Most Americans spend the day enjoying picnics, sporting events, and street parades. It also coincides with, and often marks, the start of the U.S. football season.
This year’s observance will be somewhat different. Over a thousand protests against President Trump and his billionaire allies are set to take place on Labor Day, a holiday synonymous with workers’ rights and resistance against ultra-wealthy capitalists.
Difference Between May Day and Labor Day
Labor Day has deep roots in over 130 years of labor movement history and efforts to improve working conditions in America. It’s typically an American-Canadian holiday and differs from May Day (May 1), which is the International Workers’ Day celebrated elsewhere in the world.
Although both stem from similar labor struggles, the U.S. deliberately separated Labor Day from May Day to avoid links to the Haymarket riots and radical socialist or anarchist movements. Wikipedia
History of Labor Day
In the late 19th century, the U.S. was undergoing explosive industrial growth. Factories, railroads, and mines operated around the clock. Workers often faced 12–16-hour workdays, six days a week, for very low wages. Child labor was common. In response, labor unions organized and demanded an eight-hour workday, better pay, and safer conditions.
By the 1850s, labor movements worldwide, including in the U.S., began pushing for the eight-hour day.
The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union, with over 10,000 workers marching in a parade. AP News
It was a historic moment, a show of strength and unity, highlighting both achievements and ongoing injustices.
Later, on May 1, 1886, the American Federation of Labor called for a general strike in Chicago to demand the eight-hour day. Tensions escalated, and on May 4, 1886, the infamous Haymarket Affair occurred: a bomb exploded during a police attempt to disperse the protest, killing seven officers and at least four protesters.
Several anarchist leaders were arrested and convicted, and some were executed despite weak evidence. The Haymarket Affair became symbolic of both workers’ struggle and harsh suppression. Wikipedia
Oregon was the first state to legally recognize Labor Day in 1887, followed by Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York by the end of the same year. President Grover Cleveland signed federal legislation designating Labor Day as a national holiday on June 28, 1894. history.house.gov
Who Deserves Credit for Labor Day?
The origins of Labor Day are debated. Some sources credit Matthew Maguire, then secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, as the first to propose the idea in 1882. DOL
Others argue the honor goes to Peter J. McGuire, a union leader and co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, who advocated for a holiday honoring the "laboring classes". Encyclopedia Britannica
Both attended the first parade in 1882. Regardless, the first Labor Day celebration itself, on September 5, 1882, in New York, remains the turning point remembered in history.
Conclusion
Labor Day in the U.S. is far more than just a long weekend. It is a historic symbol of workers’ struggle, union activism, and social progress. From that first parade in New York in 1882 to today’s celebrations, Labor Day continues to intertwine history, politics, and everyday life.
It honors workers while prompting reflection on social, economic, and labor rights.
This year’s events show that Labor Day still has the power to mobilize, whether it’s protesting against government policies, demanding fair pay, or celebrating with family picnics.
Ultimately, Labor Day delivers a simple but powerful message: without workers, there is no society, and the fight for fairness and dignity remains timeless.
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