EMAIL
FACEBOOK
STUMBLEUPON
TWITTER
DIGG
DELICIOUS
REDDIT
GOOGLE BUZZ
BOOKMARK THIS
PRINTHow Labor Day Became a Holiday
SAVANNAH, Ga. (Aug. 14, 2008) – Labor Day is a holiday like no other in the world. Celebrated on the first Monday of September, it is dedicated to honoring the contributions of U.S. workers to the strength and prosperity of our country. The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City.
Two different people are credited with the creation of Labor Day. Some historians believe Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, first suggested a holiday to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” Others credit the idea to Matthew Maguire, a machinist and secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is agreed upon is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The first Labor Day holidays were celebrated with grand parades, picnics, and fireworks. Today, Labor Day is observed in many different ways, but is still a day set aside to appreciate our country’s advancements, freedoms, and prosperity, with thanks to the hardworking individuals that make up our great country.
Additional information on holidays can be found in the 2009 Farmers’ Almanac which goes on sale Aug. 26. To pre-order the Almanac, or for more tips on sustainable living from the experts at Farmers’ Almanac, visit www.FarmersAlmanac.com.
About the Farmers' Almanac:The Farmers' Almanac, which features an orange and green cover, has been published every year since 1818. Available at grocery and bookstores nationwide, it contains useful and interesting articles, as well as long-range weather predictions, gardening advice, recipes and more. Editors Peter Geiger and Sandi Duncan are available for lively and informative interviews, either by phone or in person. Both love to talk about the weather, share useful Almanac trivia and advice, and offer tips on how to "get back to the simple life." Visit on the Web at www.FarmersAlmanac.com.
Receive Press Releases by E-Mail
of the media?
Sign up to receive
notification on the latest
press releases from Farmers' Almanac.
This Week's Features
The Great Blizzard of 1899: Deep South, Deep Freeze
Become a Pasta Picasso!
Current Moon Phase
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.