Sunday, September 2, 2012

Labor Day: Have A Relaxing Weekend

 Labor Day: How it Came About & What it Means
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor
movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements
 of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the 
contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, 
and well-being of our country.
 The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, 
September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the 
plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held 
its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, 
as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar 
organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and 
celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread 
with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day 
was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
 Labor Day Legislation
Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. 
The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances 
passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement 
to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the 
New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon 
on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — 
Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — 
created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. 
By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania
 had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in 
honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act 
making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday 
in the District of Columbia and the territories.
 A Nationwide Holiday
The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should 
take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — 
a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps 
of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed 
by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. 
This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. 
Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later,
 as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic 
significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the 
American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, 
the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday 
and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.


 The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a 
change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers 
where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. 
This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium 
of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, 
educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage i
n newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard 
of living and the greatest production the world has ever known 
and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional 
ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, 
that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much 
of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.


Have a relaxing Labor Day Weekend.

5 comments:

  1. Playing with your toy is NOT work, BUT if you de-stuff it, then it IS work. So be careful!!!

    You are such pretty puppies.

    Happy Labor Day

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  2. Have a wonderful weekend, and I think you can go ahead and play with you crabby toy. Just don't try to lick it or clean it, you know?!?!

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  3. LOL Derby, your union will fine you! ;P

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  4. Very interesting for us across the pond to read this post. Have a great Sunday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. Happy Labor Day! :D

    Wyatt and Stanzie

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