labor day final essay

Amber Williams

Professor Monck

ENC 1101

18 September

Labor Day was first celebrated on September 5, 1882 when 10,000 workers marched from City Hall to Union Square City. The creator of Labor Day is still debated but ultimately it was proposed by the Central Labor Union of New York City. The Union wanted to create a day off for working people to honor them for their hard work. In the 1800s many Americans worked about twelve hours a day for little pay. As a result of the poor working conditions in the mid-1800s, workers joined labor unions. The unions were formed so workers could come together and fight for their rights. The workers held strikes in the streets for better pay and conditions. Even in the beginning Labor Day was celebrated with parades. Union members would represent their union and entertain the crowd. They also discussed ways to achieve better conditions and salaries. In 1894 Congress declared the first Monday in September Labor Day. This date was chosen because it is halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
Currently, Labor Day is just seen as a vacation from work. I have never thought about the real meaning of Labor Day. To me, Labor Day is a fun weekend where I get to see my family from all over the country. It never occurred to me that we celebrate this day to honor workers. In this day of age we have many holidays where we get days off. Since we have all of these free days we tend to take some important holidays for granted. In the 1800s people worked long hours with no vacations so Labor Day was a special occasion for them. I relate Labor Day to other holidays like President's Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Most Americans do not really think about or reflect on the true meaning of these days. They are just happy to have a day off of work. I think Americans should take more time to appreciate the holidays. We should not see Labor Day as just a fun day with no school. It is a day where we should honor and pay tribute to the workers of the past. The forgotten workers whose determinations for humane conditions and just pay have made our country what it is today.