What to buy in August
There are back-to-school sales in August, but also plenty of other discounts as summer comes to a close. But there are some things you may want to wait until Labor Day to purchase.
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The calendar will soon flip from August to September, which will soon mean the return of colorful leaves on the trees, football season, and campfires. It also means that Labor Day is approaching, and with it the unofficial end of summer.
During the three-day Labor Day weekend, many Americans will be traveling, shopping for bargains online and in stores, and perhaps making one last visit to the beach or local pool.
But this federal holiday is much more than just the last hurrah of summer. Observed on the first Monday in September each year, Labor Day is fundamentally a celebration of the hard-won gains of the American labor movement and a recognition of what workers have contributed to the nation’s prosperity.
Here’s everything you need to know about Labor Day, including when it occurs in 2024 and how it began.
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When is Labor Day in 2024?
In 2024, Labor Day falls on Monday, September 2nd.
Why do we celebrate Labor Day?
The holiday has its roots in the 19th century labor movement and emerged during a grim time for American workers, who faced long hours, low wages and unsafe conditions.
As unions and activists advocated and fought for better treatment of workers at the height of the Industrial Revolution, the idea of establishing a day to honor union members was born, according to History.com.
Today, many Americans still celebrate Labor Day with parades and parties—festivities that were included in the first holiday proposal, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Since those first celebrations, Labor Day has also been marked with speeches by elected officials and community leaders emphasizing the economic and social importance of the holiday.
How did Labor Day begin?
According to the Department of Labor, two workers can rightfully claim the title of official founder of Labor Day.
Some records indicate that it was Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, who first proposed the idea for the holiday in 1882. However, more recent research supports the belief that machinist Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
Regardless of who deserves the credit, Labor Day was recognized by union activists and in the individual states long before it became a federal holiday.
The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882, according to the Department of Labor. Organized by the Central Labor Union, the holiday was first observed, according to History.com. On that day, 10,000 workers took unpaid leave to march from City Hall to Union Square.
New York was also the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, but Oregon was the first state to pass such a law in 1887, according to the Department of Labor. By 1894, 32 states had adopted the holiday.
When was Labor Day first recognized nationwide?
Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed a law passed by Congress declaring the first Monday in September a holiday for workers.
But recognition by the federal government was hard-fought. It came after a wave of unrest among workers and union activists brought the issue of workers’ rights into the public consciousness.
In May of that year, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union officials, History.com reports. A month later, the government sent troops to Chicago to break up a boycott of Pullman cars initiated by labor activist Eugene V. Debs, sparking a wave of deadly riots.
Congress quickly passed a law making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. Cleveland signed the law on June 28.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected].
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on X. @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].
