Labor Day is a federal holiday honoring American workers and is observed on the first Monday of September, creating a three-day weekend that signals the unofficial end of summer. The holiday originated in late-1800s labor activism, with the first U.S. celebration taking place in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, when about 10,000 workers marched. Industrialization reduced workers' quality of life while factory owners prospered. Cities and states gradually recognized the day, and Congress made it a federal holiday in 1894 amid the Pullman strike and subsequent federal intervention. Many Americans mark the holiday with barbecues, travel, and shopping; major travel hubs expect high passenger numbers.
The first Labor Day celebration in the U.S. took place in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, when some 10,000 workers marched in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor. Workers' quality of life was declining as they transitioned from artisan to factory jobs, while factory owners' quality of life was "just skyrocketing," said Todd Vachon, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.
That was the same year that workers for the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike after the railcar-maker cut wages without reducing rent in the company-owned town where workers lived near Chicago, Vachon said. Over 12 workers were killed after Cleveland sent federal troops to crush the strike, he said. Cleveland's move to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday is seen by some historians as a way for him "to make peace" with the working class, Vachon said.
From barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark Labor Day - the federal holiday celebrating the American worker - by finding ways to relax. The holiday with activist roots is celebrated on the first Monday of September, creating a three-day weekend that marks the unofficial end of summer. Over 17 million passengers and crew were expected to be screened for air travel from Thursday through Wednesday, according to the Transportation Security Administration,
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