The Labor Day Holiday is observed on the first Monday each September. But, how much do we know about this 121 year old holiday?

At the height of the Industrial Revolution Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894 under the leadership of President Grover Cleveland.

Labor Day is a time to pay tribute to the American workers for their significant contributions and outstanding achievements.

As the American workforce struggled to make a living in the late 1800’s they faced 12-hour long days, 7-day a week.  Children as young as 5 years old were put to work under strenuous, unsafe conditions in factories, mills and mines.

Encountering these difficult labor conditions the American people demanded change.  Many groups rallied together to express the need for change. While many protests were peaceful, others became heated and grew more violent.

Liberating the American workforce to a more tolerable work environment gained momentum. Today we enjoy the benefit of an extra day off because the conviction and sacrifice of many Americans.

Reading about the history of Labor Day had been insightful, while providing me a sense of pride. Our forefathers were challenged, but came up with a solution to better their lives.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary describes:  History: a knowing, learned, to inquire, to explore, to learn by inspection or inquiry.

Isn’t it valuable to understand our history to gain insight for our current situations?  Knowing. Learned. Inquire. Explore. Inspection. Simple, but it is not always easy.