Labor Day

Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

The day was established in the late 1800s during the Industrial Revolution when many Americans were forced to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, including children as young as 5 in some states. Riots and protests arose across the country. On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the holiday into law. For more information on the history of Labor Day, check out History.com’s Labor Day video.