Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It’s a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
“The Texarkana Chamber of Commerce celebrates the lives and contribution of all workers everywhere, and in all times, who contribute to the wonderful quality of life we enjoy in Texarkana, USA. Honorable work is what makes this country the greatest land of opportunity on Earth. And on this Labor Day we should be thankful for those opportunities,” said Bill Cork, President and CEO of the Chamber.
The Texarkana Chamber of Commerce has a long and historic past of its own, always showcasing its hard workers and multifaceted abilities the Twin Cities has to offer. And the video below shows just how industrious Texarkana, USA has always been.
Labor Day was officially designated as a legal holiday across the states and territories on June 28, 1894 and was to occur on the first Monday of September of every year.
People gathered for Labor Day’s first parade on the morning of Sept. 5, 1882 in New York City, however, because state legislation regarding Labor Day had already passed there. According to the Dept. of Labor, a large crowd of spectators filled the sidewalks of lower Manhattan near city hall and along Broadway on that historic day. People came, well before the marchers, to claim the best vantage points from which to view the first Labor Day Parade.
A newspaper account of the day described “. . . men on horseback, men wearing regalia, men with society aprons, and men with flags, musical instruments, badges, and all the other paraphernalia of a procession.”
The police, wary that a riot would break out, were out in force that morning as well. By 9 a.m., columns of police and club-wielding officers on horseback surrounded city hall. By 10 a.m., the Grand Marshall of the parade, William McCabe, his aides and their police escort were all in place for the start of the parade. There was only one problem – none of the men had moved. The few marchers that had shown up had no music.
According to McCabe, “the spectators began to suggest that he give up the idea of parading, but he was determined to start on time with the few marchers that had shown up. Suddenly, Mathew Maguire of the Central Labor Union of New York (and probably the father of Labor Day) ran across the lawn and told McCabe that two hundred marchers from the Jewelers Union of Newark Two had just crossed the ferry — and they had a band!”
Just after 10 a.m., the marching jewelers turned onto lower Broadway — they were playing “When I First Put This Uniform On,” from Patience, an opera by Gilbert and Sullivan. The police escort then took its place in the street. When the jewelers marched past McCabe and his aides, they followed in behind. Spectators then began to join the march. Eventually there were 700 men in line in the first of three divisions of Labor Day marchers. Final reports of the total number of marchers ranged from 10,000 to 20,000 men and women.
At noon, the marchers arrived at Reservoir Park, the termination point of the parade. While some returned to work, most continued on to the post-parade party at Wendel’s Elm Park at 92nd Street and Ninth Avenue. Even some unions that had not participated in the parade showed up to join in the post-parade festivities that included speeches, a picnic, an abundance of cigars and, “Lager beer kegs . . . mounted in every conceivable place.”
From 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. nearly 25,000 union members and their families filled the park and celebrated the very first, and almost entirely disastrous, Labor Day.
Today, however, we tend to celebrate Labor Day as a time to mark the end of summer, the beginning of the school year and for those in fashion circles, the last day to wear white, (although this trend is changing). In fact, people who choose to wear white into the fall are no longer heavily criticized for the choice and are sometimes embraced as fashion-forward trendsetters.
But without the labor movement – those who first fought for the working men and women back in the 1800s – our workplace environments today would likely look a whole lot different. Yes, among other things, they fought for a day off from the toils of work so that Americans could be free to have a three-day weekend in which to rest and relax after working a 40-hour work week.
So enjoy your day off. No doubt, you’ve earned it.
Most photos courtesy of “Remember in Texarkana” on Facebook
Bicycle Shop photo courtesy of David Mallette
