What is Labor Day? - Ryan DiSciullo
Answer
What is Labor Day?
Labor Day is a federal holiday in The United States of America that is celebrated on the first Monday of September each year. This means it is a paid holiday for workers who get the day off or if you work in a facility that is open and operates on Labor Monday, you may get to work for “holiday pay” or receive an extra day off later in the work week. Where Memorial day is often recognized as the “first day of summer,” Labor day has long signified the end of summer. When the meaning behind Labor Day is forgotten, it is important to remember that we celebrate it to honor the American Labor Movement and their achievements. This includes those who fought for better pay and working conditions over 100 years ago.
Where did the idea of Labor Day first emerge?
Image Credit: New York Times
Labor Day wasn’t always a federal holiday. On June 28, 1894, shortly after the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland signed the holiday into law nearly twelve years after it was first celebrated in 1882. On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took the day off to march to Union Square in New York City. Workers held this “parade” due to the unfit working conditions brought on by the Industrial Revolution when many Americans were forced to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, including children. Because of these unimaginable working conditions, protests broke out across the country and ultimately led to the transformation of the labor code in America including rules and regulations to benefit the working man.
Why is Labor Day celebrated the first Monday in September?
So why do we celebrate Labor Day the first Monday in September rather than September 5 every year? Or even June 28, the day is was signed into law federally? There was a lot of controversy surrounding this holiday and when it should be celebrated. While some thought it should be celebrated in May as an homage to the Haymarket Affair of 1886, others liked the idea of keeping the date in September because it was a nice "halfway point" between the 4th of July and Thanksgiving holidays. When President Grover Cleveland signed the law making the first Monday in September "Labor Day" into effect, he did so with the mindset that consistently landing on a Monday each year would make for a nice, long weekend for workers. This way federal workers could truly celebrate the holiday or even "vacation" for a full three days.
"There was some disagreement among labor union leaders about when this holiday should be celebrated. Some advocated to keep the September date, while others favored May 1st to commemorate the deadly Haymarket Affair, which occurred May 4, 1886, in Chicago. The political establishment was wary of the May date since it was being organized by socialist and communist parties and gaining prominence worldwide. As such, conservative President Grover Cleveland publicly supported the less radically-affiliated September date." (Ball, Labor Day in America – Not Just Another Beach Day).
What does it mean when someone says, "Don't Wear White After Labor Day"?
The annual periodical, the Farmer’s Almanac, has a couple explanations for the reasoning behind, “Don’t wear white after Labor Day,” - an expression I never quite understood. The first relating to weather conditions; because darker colors attract sun more so than white or lighter colors, it made more sense to ditch white after summer to prepare for the colder months of the year with darker, heavier clothing. Another theory seems to come from a disparity between the poor and the wealthy. Wearing white after Labor Day meant you could afford to vacation after the summer or even worse, you had the means to wear lighter-colored clothing due to the fact that you did not work in a laborious field where your clothes could easily get dirty. Nowadays, these fashion trends are a little outdated and it’s not uncommon to see people wearing white through every season!
References
Ball, Danielle. “Labor Day in America – Not Just Another Beach Day.” Los Angeles Public Library, 30 Aug. 2024, https://lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/labor-day-america-not-just-another-beach-day. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Green, Jordan. “Why Can’t You Wear White after Labor Day? Why That Rule Is Outdated and Irrelevant.” Commercial Appeal, 30 Aug. 2024, https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2024/08/30/why-cant-you-wear-white-after-labor-day-how-rule-started/74871597007/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
“History of Labor Day.” DOL, www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history#:~:text=The%20holiday%20is%20rooted%20in,prosperity%2C%20and%20well%2Dbeing. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kanuckel, Amber. “Why Can’t You Wear White After Labor Day?” Farmer’s Almanac, 20 Aug. 2024, Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Urofsky, Melvin. “Pullman Strike.” Britannica, 20 July 1998, https://www.britannica.com/event/Pullman-Strike. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Zagorsky, Jay. “Have We Forgotten the True Meaning of Labor Day?” Indiana Capital Chronicle, 2 Sept. 2024, https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/09/02/have-we-forgotten-the-true-meaning-of-labor-day/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.