What Is Labor Day About? 7 Historical Facts About Celebration Of American Movement

[Omaha Steve]

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http://www.latintimes.com/what-labor-day-about-7-historical-facts-about-celebration-american-movement-203988

What Is Labor Day About? 7 Historical Facts About Celebration Of American Movement




By Latin Times | Aug 27 2014, 09:00AM EDT

Labor Day 2014 falls on the first Monday of September and this year, the exact date is Monday, Sept. 1. The holiday celebrates and honors the achievements of American workers. Labor Day also marks the unofficial end of summer, as the the second half of the year begins with the fall season and holidays. Here are eight historical facts about Labor Day:

1. Who was the founder of Labor Day? The answer is murky, at best. Some believe Peter J. McGuire, the general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was the first to create the notion of the holiday. But others say machinist Matthew Maguire was the real founder.

2. When did Labor Day become a holiday? Labor Day became a federal holiday on June 28, 1894 when Congress passed an act designating the first Monday of September to be the legal day for the holiday. But prior to that, on a state-level, bills were passed to create a Labor Day. New York was the first state to introduce legislature for the holiday but it was Oregon who first passed it in 1887.

3. When was the first labor day celebrated? The very first Labor Day was celebrated before it was passed into law in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882. The celebration was planned by the Central Labor Union.

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