For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. However, Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894.
Labor Day, an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters. In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living.
Labor Day celebrations have come a long way since the turn of the century. It’s not so much an honoring of the workers anymore. It’s just an opportunity to get off work, and celebrate the end of summer (if that’s something to celebrate). Many people see the Labor Day weekend as merely an opportunity for a last summer fling. And whether they celebrate it playing golf, going camping or fishing, having a backyard steak barbeque, or attending a picnic in the park or at the beach, the true original meaning of Labor Day seems, for the most part, to have become lost in the enjoyment of the moment.
It’s a good thing to enjoy your last summer holiday. But it’s also a good thing to respect and honor those who didn’t have the favorable working conditions we have now. It’s a good thing to remember those who fought very hard for workers’ rights. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the social and economic achievements of America’s workers. Labor Day celebrates us all — our achievements and contributions to the strength, prosperity, and safety of our nation.
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