By: Cynthia Kurtz
Posted 9/04/2013
This past Monday, America
celebrated Labor Day. Labor Day is always the first Monday in September. Among
other meanings, it signifies the end of "summer" - even though
officially the last day of summer is September 22 - the autumn solstice.
That doesn't stop us from putting things off until summer is
over...right after Labor Day. Most schools start the Tuesday after Labor Day. The
last summer weekend vacation is planned for Labor Day weekend. But Labor Day's
origins don't have anything to do with summer. Labor Day is our celebration of
workers - the "workingman's holiday."
A strictly American holiday, the first Labor Day was planned by the
Central Labor Union on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In some ways the original
plans for the day were a lot like the way we celebrate today. There would be a
parade to "show the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor
organizations." That would be followed by a "massive picnic" for
the laborers and their families' recreation and amusement.
In other significant ways, that first "labor day" was very
different. The New York
police were concerned about violence. They were out in force along the route
and surrounded city hall.
It wasn't a "real" holiday - not yet - so workers had to take
unpaid time off to participate. At 10:00 a.m., the parade's appointed starting
time, organizers were worried. There were just a few participants and no band. Everyone
knows you can't have a real parade without a band. What do you march
to?
Patience was all they needed and a little after 10:00 a.m., 200 workers
from the Jewelers Union of Newark Two were spotted crossing on the ferry...with
a band. Other marchers joined along the way. It is estimated that 10,000
workers joined the procession around lower Manhattan that morning. Everything was
peaceful.
The organizers had searched for the right picnic spot and settled on Wendel Elm
Park at 92nd and 9th. It
was the largest park in New York City
in 1882. There were flags, fireworks and of course, kegs of beer. Some 25,000
people joined in the fun which continued until 9:00 pm that night.
Recognition of Labor Day grew slowly. A few industrial cities began to
celebrate along with New York.
A few states selected the first Monday in September as a holiday - New York, New Jersey and Colorado were among the
first.
Twelve years later in 1894 Senator James Henderson Kyle of South Dakota
introduced S. 730 making Labor Day a national holiday. It was approved on June
28 of that year.
It's fine to mark Labor Day as the end of summer. However, don't forget
to remember that Labor Day is a day to celebrate the contributions of American
working men and women. It is the single holiday that celebrates the rise of the
middle class, a day for business and labor to recognize all the things they
agree upon and reunite in the power of working together for America.
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