Celebrating Labor Day: A Tribute to Hard Work and Dedication
Yes, Labor Day signals the end of summer, but it's also a day that has so much significance that most Americans can support it. For one thing, it's yet another justification for doing all the fun Labor Day activities, like indulging in our favorite grilled foods, throwing pool parties,
and making good use of those amusing summer Instagram captions. And while it's unquestionably a day worth commemorating for all those good reasons, there's also a little more background to the significance of Labor Day. Everything you need to know about the summer holiday, including the date of Labor Day in 2023, is provided below.
Celebrating Labor Day: A Tribute to Hard Work and Dedication |
On Labor Day, we honor the men and women who fought tenaciously in the late 19th-century labor movement for the rights of workers. Many of the rights we enjoy and take for granted today, such as a 40-hour work week, safe working conditions,
paid time off, and sick leave, were won through their tenacious struggle. These workers realized that without economic freedom for the working class, there could be no freedom and liberty in this nation. The day celebrates American workers, unions, and labor leaders,
who are the backbone of this country. Any way you choose to observe Labor Day 2023, make sure to take some time to remember and honor all the workers—past and present—who have contributed to the development of America and have helped make it the nation it is today.
The date of Labor Day in 2023 may be on your mind right now. Find out the answers to these and other questions, as well as the precise date of this year's celebration, below.
Consequently, when is Labor Day in 2023?
Even though Labor Day falls on a Monday in 2023, everyone knows that you usually celebrate it over the entire weekend beginning the prior Saturday, so get ready to unwind from Saturday, September 2 through Monday, September 4.
Labor Day is always observed on the first Monday in September.
That's right, it's one of those holidays that doesn't follow a set calendar date but instead occurs on a particular day of the week. So you could always think of it that way if you have trouble remembering specific dates!
What's the background of Labor Day?
Labor Day was declared a U.S.S. Thirty states had already made the day an official holiday by the time it became a federal holiday in 1894.
To fight for better working conditions during the Industrial Revolution, labor movement members organized strikes and protests, according to the History Channel. This is how Labor Day came to be.
According to National Geographic, the first Labor Day parade in the nation was held on September 5, 1882, thanks to the efforts of union leaders in New York City. 10,000 employees took unpaid leave on this day to participate in a march through New York City,
which culminated in a picnic, fireworks, and dancing. "A general holiday for the workingmen of this city," the organizers proclaimed. Several states passed laws recognizing the workers' holiday after their idea gained traction across the nation.
The Pullman strike, a fatal nationwide railroad boycott, that brought attention to workers' rights, delayed Congress from legalizing the holiday until 1894. Congress passed a law declaring Labor Day a legal holiday to appease American workers amid this severe unrest.
On June 28, 1894, it was formally signed into law by President Grover Cleveland. It's odd that Francis Perkins, the first woman to head a department, was appointed to the position of secretary of labor after Labor Day was declared a holiday.