History of Labor Day

Did you know that Labor Day, at least the modern day American Labor Day, was created in New York City? Today, we celebrate Labor Day with picnics and wearing our last white outfits of the summer. Labor Day is a federal holiday, meaning many have the day off, and stores often have giant sales, perfect for bargain shoppers. The roots of Labor Day are a little less jubilant, but still very important. Let’s explore.

Also, one of the best things to do in NYC for labor day is to advertise your business on a Times Square billboard. How do you advertise on a Times Square billboard? To advertise on a Times Square billboard visit welcometotimessquare.com and learn how you can promote your business for as low as $250 a day!

New York City – Finance Town

Since its founding, New York City has been a center of finance. In many ways it can be said New York City was founded specifically for trade and commerce. Its location gives New York City ample harbors to welcome in trading ships from across the globe. Its resources, such as beaver pelts, meant that families like the Astors could come to New York City and make a fortune. When creating the nation’s banking system, Alexander Hamilton knew that New York City would be powerful if it controlled the banks. So New York’s City foundation is built on commerce and labor.

Workers of every trade flocked to New York City. New York City is home to bankers, bagel makers, fashion designers, performers, inventors, jewelers, sofa cleaners, and more. Many of these trades formed unions to protect their works. Yes, even bagel bakers had a union, Bagel Bakers Local 383. This was a powerful union during its heyday. The combination of laborers, unions, and robber barons, paved the path for the first Labor Day.

Central Labor Union of New York and the Knights of Labor

The very first Labor Day Parade was organized by the Central Labor Union, which would later become the AFL-CIO. It is a federation of unions. The idea of course was there is strength in numbers. Bagel Bakers and Jewelers could stand together for better working conditions overall.

The Central Labor Union of New York was one of the earliest trade unions. It was established in 1881. One of its first big acts was to organize the very first Labor Day Parade in New York. They worked in tandem with the even older and more established Knights of Labor, which boasted 28,000 members.

This was a far cry from the federal holiday we know and love today. Workers essentially had to walk off the job to march in the parade. This meant giving up a day’s wages when a day’s wages could be the difference between your family eating that night or not. There was also the fear of retaliation from workers’ bosses. Perhaps these workers would lose their jobs altogether. In fact, so great was this fear, many believed the Labor Day Parade would not happen at all.

The First Labor Day Parade

The first Labor Day Parade took place September 5, 1882. The first Labor Day Parade began at City Hall and continued to Bryant Park. The most notable location of the first Labor Day Parade was Union Square. In 1882, Times Square was still known as Longacre Square, and known more for its stables than brightly-lit billboards. Union Square was the place where people would gather. (Note: the name Union Square comes from a union of streets, specifically Broadway and Bowery, not labor unions.) It was Union Square that became the heart of this peaceful protest.

Looking at newspapers of the day, response to the first Labor Day Parade was mixed. The Tribune wrote, “It is a pity that workingmen allow themselves to be so cheapened,” while the New York Tribune wrote, “The men who took part in the labor parade generally appeared to be persons of no small intelligence.” The New York Times chose to focus on the fashion of the day. By 1894, Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law making Labor Day a Federal Holiday.

How to Celebrate Labor Day in New York City

In addition to reflecting on Labor Day’s past, New York City hosts tons of fun event during the holiday! It is also worth noting both the US Open and the West Indian Day parade will take place on Labor Day. As mentioned earlier in this article, we feel showcasing your business on a giant Times Square billboard is a great way to celebrate.