Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday of September in the United States, is dedicated to honoring working people. It’s been a federal holiday since 1894 and is celebrated around the world. Here are some fun facts about this important day.

• The very first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. 

• Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday in February 1887. By the end of that year, four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — had also created their own Labor Day holidays.

• The original Labor Day parade took place on September 5th, 1882, along the Bowery in NYC. Violent riots broke out and ended up blocking traffic on Broadway for hours. 

• The 1894 Pullman Strike was a nationwide boycott of all trains operated by the Pullman Palace Car Company after the wages of their workers were cut, but their rent stayed the same. This event led Congress to declare Labor Day an official federal holiday that same year. 

• Many countries around the world have their own Labor Day celebrations, but on different days than the U.S. France celebrates La Fete du Travail on May 1st, and Canada celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday of September like the U.S. 

• Labor Day Weekend is considered the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of fall. 

• The oldest labor union in the United States is the Knights of Labor, founded in 1869. 

• In 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued an annual proclamation announcing that Labor Day would take place on September 3rd instead of its traditional date, September 5th. This was done to create a longer holiday weekend for the American people. 

• In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Labor Day was celebrated differently in many parts of the world. In New York City, for example, the traditional parade and celebrations were canceled but replaced by a virtual event that could be enjoyed from home. 

• As part of their Labor Day celebrations, some states will hold an annual fishing or hunting event to honor the hard-working people in their communities. 

• Every year, the President of the United States releases a proclamation encouraging Americans to recognize and celebrate Labor Day. This is usually done by donating time and money to organizations that support working families. 

These are just some of the fun facts about Labor Day! We encourage everyone to take the time this Labor Day to recognize and appreciate all of the hard-working people in our lives.

Happy Labor Day!