Happy Almost Labor Day!
Labor Day for many Americans is a three-day weekend that marks the end of the summer and the start of the school year. Nowadays, the holiday might be celebrated with anything from swimming at a beach or pool, grilling, or watching the first college football games of the season. But, how did the holiday come about?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the holiday is observed the first Monday in September to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers.
The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.
When did Labor Day become a federal holiday?
Before it became a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and individual states.
Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on February 21, 1887, and that year four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed similar laws.
The Labor Department says by 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday, and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.
Jancast #130 – Podcasting to a cleaner & healthier world
We step out of conventional “cleaning” with a discussion on this episode with Lisa Lavender from the Berks Fire & Water, an IICRC Certified Firm. We get into what “restoration” means, what standards are followed, the different training courses and opportunities in a growing industry.
Scott Jarden