The history of Labor Day And why we celebrate it!

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Facts:• The first Labor Day was celebrated in the United

States on September 5, 1882 as a New York City holiday.

• Twelve years later in 1894, there was a nationwide strike between labor unions and railroads.

• The conflict began in the town of Pullman, Illinois on May 11, 1894 when approximately 3,000 employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company began a strike in response to recent reductions in wages, which stopped all railroad traffic in the United States west of Chicago, Illinois.2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Facts:

• During the economic panic of 1893, the Pullman Palace Car Company cut wages as demands for their train cars plummeted and the company's revenue dropped.

• A delegation of union workers complained of the low wages and the twelve-hour workdays.

• Further, the company owned and operated the town of Pullman, Illinois and didn't decrease the rent charged to their employees on company owned homes.

• The company owner, George Pullman, refused to negotiate with the union and its members.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Facts:• The railroad companies began hiring strikebreakers, people

who cross union picket lines during a strike and take the jobs of the union workers.

• The strike was broken up by United States Marshals and some 12,000 United States Army troops, sent in by President Grover Cleveland on the premise that the strike interfered with the delivery of U.S. Mail.

• During the course of the strike, 13 strikers were killed and 57 were wounded.

• An estimated 6,000 rail workers did $340,000 worth of property damage, about $8,818,000 if adjusted for inflation to 2012.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Facts:

• As a result of the strike and the violence on both sides, President Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority.

• He was worried about further conflict with unions and their workers, so he introduced legislation making Labor Day a national holiday.

• The legislation was rushed through Congress and signed into law unanimously just six days after the end of the strike.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Facts:• Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as

the symbolic end of the summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parades.

• The forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events.

• Families with school-age children take it as the last 3 day weekend to travel before the children return to school, although school starting times now vary .

• Events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and the appearances by candidates for public office.

• In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Labor Day Fast Facts:

This holiday is celebrated on the first Monday of September. It was originated by Peter J. McGuire, he was in a union that helped honor the workers. President Grover Cleveland designated it a Federal holiday.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

The symbol of Labor Day

The symbol of Labor Day is the American Flag. The American Flag is the symbol of Labor Day because Labor Day is honoring the men and women who work for our country and the American Flag represents our country.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

The Customs of Labor Day

• A custom that people do on Labor Day is having the Labor Day Parade. In the parade there are marching bands, flags and people marching through the street.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

More Labor Day customs:

One of the customs of Labor Day is getting the day off from school for children and getting off from work for the adults. Also on Labor Day groups of people get together and have union picnics, barbeques and end of the summer beach parties.

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

• How Stuff Works: Http://www.howstuffworks.com/question459.htm.

• Labor Day: http://wilstar.com/holidays/laborday.htm• The History of Labor Day:

http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm • Ansary, Mir Tamim.. Labor Day. Chicago: Reed

Educational, 1999.

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_strike

2012

Anabel Parra, Media Specialist

Have a safe & fun holiday weekend!

2012