When is Labor Day 2024? What to know about the holiday
For many, Labor Day signifies the end of the summer and the beginning of the school year.
But do you know the meaning of the holiday and when it began? The history of the holiday goes back to the mid-19th century, and there's even some controversy over who actually founded the holiday that celebrates America's labor movement.
"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. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker," according to the U.S. Department of Labor,
Here's what to know about the holiday.
When is Labor Day 2024?
Labor Day is always celebrated on the first Monday in September. This year, the holiday falls on Monday, Sept. 2.
What is Labor Day?
The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the "social and economic achievements of American workers," according to the Department of Labor.
When did Labor Day become a holiday?
Labor Day officially became a federal holiday when Congress passed an act making it so on June 28, 1894.
Prior to that, it was recognized by labor activist and individual states, according to the Department of Labor.
Who founded Labor Day?
There's some controversy about this. The Department of Labor explained that certain records show that in 1882, a New York resident and worker named Peter Maguire "suggested setting aside a day for a 'general holiday for the laboring classes."
But the department noted that many people think that a machinist named Matthew Maguire - no relation - founded the holiday. Matthew Maguire was also from New York.
"Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York," according to the Department of Labor.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: When is Labor Day 2024? What to know about the history of the holiday
