I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S

THE HISTORY OF LABOR DAY

The first governmental recognitionof Labor Day came throughmunicipal ordinances, which arerules, regulations, and codesenacted into law by the localgovernment.

The first state to enact LaborDay was passed in Oregon.

Four more states followed thatyear to enact the holiday —Colorado, Massachusetts, NewJersey, and New York.

By the end of the decade,Connecticut, Nebraska, andPennsylvania enacted the law.

In 1894, twenty-three otherstates adopted the holiday.

Congress passed an act making the first Monday inSeptember of each year a legal holiday.

F e b r u a ry 21 , 1887

1887

1889

1894

J u n e 28 , 1894

1885 - 1886

In the midst of the Industrial Revolution, Americans worked 12-hour days for 7 days aweek to make a decent living. The working conditions weren’t safe, employees weren’t

given proper breaks, and factories weren’t very sanitary. The working life for anAmerican didn’t always consist of 40-hour workweeks and two day weekends, but

Labor Day marks the celebrations of overcoming those challenges.