Kitchen Table Economics

The 125th Anniversary of Labor Day

This year, we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Labor Day as a national holiday. This holiday is about celebrating the hard-working men and women who are the backbone of our economy. With record low unemployment and rising wages, we have only positive things to celebrate this Labor Day. But let’s also reflect on the origin.

On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the national holiday into law and established that it should be celebrated on the first Monday of September each year. However, the first celebration was held on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 as a march for labor rights. 

Much has changed since 1882, but one thing remains constant: the heart of our country is the American worker and the economy they support.