By admin 
Labor Day might mean barbecues, picnics and the traditional end of summer to most people, but what’s the official reason for the holiday? How did it get started?
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The holiday, observed on the first Monday of September each year, “celebrates the social and economic achievements of American workers,” the U.S. Department of Labor said.
The holiday dates back to the late 19th century, when labor activists pushed for a day to recognize the American worker.
“American labor has raised the nation’s standard of living and contributed to the greatest production the world has ever known, and the labor movement has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy,” the agency said.
Here’s what to know:
What are the origins of Labor Day?
Before Labor Day became a federal holiday, it was celebrated by cities and states, the U.S. Department of Labor said.
The first Labor Day was celebrated Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City.
Several states adopted Labor Day as a holiday, with Oregon leading the way in 1887. Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York followed suit, the agency said.
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On June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal national holiday.
Who founded Labor Day?
It depends on who you choose to believe, the Department of Labor said.
Some records credit Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, with suggesting the idea in 1882.
But others indicate machinist Matthew Maguire, later secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, first proposed the holiday, also in 1882.
Both McGuire and Maguire attended the first national Labor Day parade in New York City after it became an official national holiday.
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