In recent years, most Americans have regarded Labor Day as a vacation day at the end of summer. However the history of Labor Day and what the day represents should not be forgotten.

Actually the Labor Day was celebrated as a tribute to American workers for their contributions to the strength and prosperity of the United States.

Labor Day first originated in Canada but was first organized in the United Stated by the Central Labor Union and celebrated in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882.

It was in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, when the Americans worked 12 hours a day and seven days a week. At that time, Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

About 10,000 workers marched from City Hall to Union Square to honor workers as well as to protest issues they had with employers.

A year later, the Central Labor Union repeated the event on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a workingmen's holiday on that date.

The idea spread quickly with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the United States.

On June 28,1894, there were 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

Canada Labor day