While a number of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, America chooses the first Monday of September to celebrate the same. Though Labour movement has a rich and important past in the country, it also comes as a reason to sit back, relax, and enjoy the day. It marks beginning of fall and end of summer.
Let's take a look at some unknown about the Labour Day:
Started since 1894
In 1894, President Grover Cleveland officially made Labour Day a federal holiday. Although, at that time, 30 different states celebrated some type of observance already but this was the first nationally recognised Labour Day that was celebrated with parades and it also showed the strength of labour organisations.
First Labour Day celebration
Though Labour Day was made into a national holiday in 1894, the Central Labour Union observed the first official Labour Day in New York City on September 5, 1882- which was interestingly a Tuesday. Unlike, many other countries, Americans do not celebrate it on May because President Cleveland didn't want to commemorate Labour Day in spring- it was very close to the Haymarket massacre anniversary in Chicago that took place on May 4, 1886 and 11 people were killed.
Not actually the last summer day
Though it is unofficially considered the end of summer, it is actually not. The real end of the season takes a few more weeks actually.
Origins of Labour Day are Canadians
The Labour Day is now an American holiday but the origins of it actually lie with the neighbours up in the north. Historically, after a labour dispute in Toronto, in 1872 the first worker parades occurred. Soon after that the anti–labour union laws were repealed. A union activist Peter McGuire (many call him the founder of American Labour Day), a decade later spoke at a labour festival in Canada in 1882. Later, that same year he proposed the idea of a national holiday for Labour Day to a New York labour union and the rest is history.
End of hot-dog season
Hot-dog season starts from Memorial Day and ends on Labour Day, as mentioned by National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Reportedly, Americans are largely fond of hot dogs and consume roughly 7 billion hot dogs or about 818 hot dogs every second, TIME reported.
'No white after Labour Day'
The rule of 'No white after Labour Day' has historical roots. It goes back to the time when class divisions were at its peak and lightweight clothes were a symbol of leisure classes. Also, Labour Day was the time when the affluent classes returned from their vacation to go back to school and work. While there can be a practical reason of keeping white clothes away as it can get dirty during heavy autumn rains and winter slush. However, today's society doesn't believe in this rule. In fact, the custom was flouted by Coco Chanel as early as in the 1920s. It is a season-less wardrobe nowadays and people can wear white anytime, anywhere.
