Ahh Labor Day! Any holiday that gives people Monday off is a great one in our book. For some, Labor Day marks back-to-school time, and the fresh start of an academic year full of challenges and hard work. For others, Labor Day means sales or a lazy day of football around the house. For just about everyone else, Labor Day means summer is winding down, and it's time for a new season of cooler weather and shorter days.
I'll be honest, I've celebrated Labor Day for many years and I've only had a vague idea of why we celebrate it. I knew the holiday was about the celebration of the American worker, and I knew that lots of stores out there love to sell their merchandise at steep discounts on the first Monday of September, but that was about it.
Since we just celebrated Labor Day, I'd like to take a break from the dental-related posts we normally do and share a few things I learned about Labor Day on my day off.
No One Is Really Sure Who Started Labor Day
Labor Day officially became a federal holiday in 1894. Before that, it was first celebrated in New York although Oregon was the first state to pass a law---in 1887---making it a holiday. Even more than 100 years after it was first celebrated nationwide, the U.S. Department of Labor says there is still some doubt over who first proposed the holiday for the American worker.
Some believe it was Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, that proposed Labor Day as a holiday. Others believe it Matthew Maguire, a machinist, who began the holiday.
We Have It Way Easier Than They Did
We all work hard at our jobs and get stressed out from time to time, but perhaps we should use this holiday to reflect on how hard workers used to have it. In comparison, most of our working conditions are much, much better these days. According to Forbes magazine, in the late 1800s when the bill was passed that created Labor Day, the average American worker was working 12-hour days, sometimes for seven-day weeks just to have enough to get by. And, let's not forget that children were also working in factories and mines as young as 5-6 years old.
Labor Day Is Actually An Import
Although many things Americana are associated with Labor Day, it might actually surprise some people to know that we borrowed the idea of a holiday for workers from Canada. In fact, that's where some say Peter J. McGuire got the idea to make Labor Day a recognized holiday in the U.S. McGuire attended an annual labour festival in Toronto, Canada in 1882 and returned with his own celebration in mind.
Thanks for Reading!
As always, we appreciate you stopping by to read our blog. We're passionate about great oral healthcare and want to spread the message far beyond the walls of our Turlock dental practice. If you enjoy our little dental blog, please like us on Facebook and share our page with a friend. Help us get the word out!
Also, feel free to leave us a comment and tell us how your family celebrated Labor Day.