Labor Day 2022: History, purpose, and Labor Day weekend

Labor Day, a federal holiday in the United States, is celebrated on the first Monday of September, every year. The day is celebrated to honour and recognize the American labor movement, the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

In 2022, the Labor Day will be celebrated on September 5.

History of Labor Day

Peter J. McGuire, a US union leader, is the mind behind the idea of Labor Day. McGuire in 1882, suggested to the Central Labor Union of New York that there be a celebration honoring the American workers.

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Some 10,000 workers under the sponsorship of the Knights of Labor, held a parade in the New York City on September 5. In 1884, a resolution was adopted by the Knights of Labor to celebrate as Labor Day, the first Monday of September. By 1885, Labor Day celebrations were being held in many states across the country.

It was Oregon which first granted a legal status to the holiday in 1887. Colorado, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey followed.

Following the 1894 Pullman strike in Illinois, a series of unemployed workers’ riots on May Day in Cleveland, U.S. President Grover Cleveland, proposed a bill to declare Labor Day as a national public holiday. The bill was signed into a law in June 1894.

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Purpose behind the celebrations

The purpose of Labor Day is to honour workers, recognize their contributions to the society.

Labor Day weekend

The weekend before Labor Day is known as Labor Day weekend. A long weekend, it is a great opportunity to celebrate with friends and family.

Labor Day vs. May Day

Many communist and socialist factions chose May 1 as the date to mark the Haymarket affair. May 1 is celebrated as the “Labor Day”, “International Workers Day” in many countries across the world. It is known as the May Day in Europe.

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Countries like Canada and U.S., however, celebrate the day on the first Monday of September.