Labor Day is Monday September 5, 2016, and officially celebrates the American labor movement. The holiday is also dedicated to the social and economic achievements of our American workers who have made this, the greatest industrial nation in history. This holiday provides a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Congress declared Labor Day as a federal holiday in 1894 even though 30 states already celebrated the holiday. Congress enacted, and President Grover Cleveland signed into law, the holiday legislation to help end the Pullman (railroad car) Company labor strike in which 30 American Railway Union members died at the hands of the US Marshals while attempting to enforce a federal court injunction against the union.
Unofficially, many people consider Labor Day as ‘the end of summer’ and so school kids are out for the holiday, as well as many workers who receive a well deserved day off. Years ago most schools didn’t even start until after the Labor Day holiday, it was simply ‘too hot’ to do so because schools didn’t have “air conditioning’ back then. Now people take the long week to hit the beaches, pools, lakes, rivers and parks full of sunshine to soak up the last glimpses of the summer sun.
So as you celebrate this holiday, wrapping up that last summer fling, let us remember the American ‘working man and woman’ who have contributed so much, including building those lakes, preserving those forests, and constructing those roadways, along with every other aspect of work to build the society and nation we all know and love.
Murph
PS – and have a ‘Great and safe, Labor Day….’