Brief History of Labor Day in America

Labor Day reminds us of the dedicated hard work of laborers, who fought for their rights and raised awareness of labor exploitation and its importance in our society.

Citing the late 19th century when industrialization was drastically changing societies, Labor Day first emerged. During this period, workers were forced to work in harsh working conditions for long hours. Their wages were also minimal. In response to these injustices, labor unions and activists began organizing protests and strikes to demand better working conditions and rights for workers.

In the United States 1886 in Chicago, workers protested for an 8-hour workday. Things got violent during a protest called the Haymarket Affair. Both workers and police officers were hurt. But the workers didn’t give up. They kept fighting for better conditions. Many Americans at that time toiled 12 hours a day, seven days a week, often in physically demanding, low-paying jobs. Children worked too, on farms and in factories and mines. Conditions were often harsh and unsafe.

But it took several more years for the federal government to make it a national holiday — when it served a greater political purpose. In the summer of 1894, the Pullman strike severely disrupted rail traffic in the Midwest, and the federal government used an injunction and federal troops to break the strike. During the crisis, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law on June 28, 1894, declaring Labor Day a national holiday. Some historians say he was afraid of losing the support of working-class voters. Finally, in 1894, the government made Labor Day a holiday to honor the workers’ hard work.

Nowadays, it’s a big day celebrated worldwide for workers’ rights. We should remember the hard times workers faced, celebrate what they’ve achieved, and keep fighting for fairness for all workers. Let’s stand together for justice and equality on Labor Day and every day. Now, we celebrate Labor Day every year to remember their efforts.

As we can say, “Without the infrastructure of the past, we could not enjoy the innovation of the present and the promise of the future.###

-By Anonymous Editorialist