Labor Day is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September in Canada, the US, Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone and the Virgin Islands. Many colleges, secondary and elementary schools begin classes right after Labor Day. For most people it's a symbol of the end of summer.
In 2021, Labor Day falls on September 6th.
What's It All About?
This is a holiday honoring working people. Usually people use the day to rest and hang out. Labor Day is more than 100 years old. It began in 1882 as a celebration and a huge parade in New York City in honor of the working class. Two men are behind the holiday - Matthew Maquire, a machinist and Peter McGuire, a carpenter. Peter helped start the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day a legal holiday. Several years later Labor Day became a national holiday, in 1894. In Canada, the first parades and rallies to honor workers were in 1872 in Ottawa and Toronto. Labor Day became an official holiday in Canada in 1894.
Did You Know?
- The average person in the US has 9.2 jobs from the age of 18 to 34. More than half of these jobs are between the ages of 18 and 24.
- Americans will eat about 52 million pounds of beef this Labor Day.
- Labor Day is called the "unofficial end of summer" because it marks the end of the summer season. Don’t worry though, the official end of summer is September 21st so you still have time to catch some waves and rays.
- Labor Day is considered the ‘unofficial NFL season kickoff.’ The NFL often plays its first official season game the Thursday after Labor Day.
- The first Waffle house opened on Labor Day. In 1955, in Avondale Estates, GA, the very first Waffle House opened its doors to the public.
Labor Day
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