Prior to becoming a national holiday, Labor Day was only recognized by labor activists and individual states.

1882, President Cleveland signed the law creating a national Labor Day. He named Matthew Maguire, a machinist and secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, as the author of Labor Day as a holiday."

The first Labor Day Parade was on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New Jersey. The parade was to acknowledge the strength, honor, devotion, and commitment of the trade and labor organizations in the community. After the parade, recreation and amusement activities for the workers and their families were provided. Speeches and remarks from prominent people incorporated the economic and civic significance of the holiday. This same format of celebration continues to this day.

On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday.

1909, at the AFL (American Federation of Labor) Convention, it was decided the Sunday before Labor Day would be called Labor Sunday. This day would focus on the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The labor movement has raised the nation’s standard of living and contributed to the greatest production the world has ever known. It has also supported economic and democratic freedoms.

As we celebrate the achievements of our labor unions of the past, their presence is an ongoing reminder of how they were created, through the freedom, strength, and leadership of the American Worker.