Happy Labor Day! As you celebrate today, it’s a great time to teach your kids a little bit about this holiday. And you might learn something new, too!
- Labor Day is always celebrated on the first Monday of September.
- The original purpose of Labor Day was to celebrate union workers.
- Labor Day became a national holiday during Grover Cleveland’s presidency.
- Cedarville, Ohio is known as the “Birthplace of Labor Day” because James Kyle, the senator responsible for introducing the motion to make Labor Day a national holiday, was born there.
- The first Waffle House opened on Labor Day in 1955.
- Oregon was the first state to make it an official holiday, in 1887.
- The first Labor Day parade was in New York City in 1882.
- Canada celebrated Labor Day before the United States ever did.
- Labor Day has come to also be a day that signifies the end of summer.
- In the 19th century, Americans worked much longer hours than the 40-hour work week we are used to. The average worker worked 12-hour days, seven days a week.