The holiday is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the country.

The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.  In 1884, the first Monday  in September was selected to be the annual holiday, and the idea spread with the growth of labor organizations.  In 1885, Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Originally, Labor Day was to be celebrated with a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.  In recent years, the celebration has undergone a change, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem.  The change is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression.  Addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in the media.

The vital force of American labor has added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy.  It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute to the creators of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership—the American workers.

As you and your family gather for this celebration, may you find comfort and joy in knowing that America still has the strongest, most stable economy in the world, all thanks to those who work for the common good every day.