Happy Labor Day 2023. This holiday on the first Monday of September has become known and celebrated as summer’s “last hurrah.” Enjoy family time at the beach. Fire up the outdoor grill for a glorious cookout.
Lest we forget, this is a
national holiday to honor the nation’s workforce. The first big Labor Day
parade occurred in 1882, organized by labor union officials in New York City. It
was a big deal for laborers who toiled in factories in the 19th century, an
opportunity to demonstrate “the strength and esprit de corps of trade and labor
organizations.”
Labor Day evolved into an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers who contributed mightily “to America’s strength, prosperity and well-being,” says the U.S. Department of Labor.
The true “founder of Labor Day” may have been a machinist from Paterson, N.J., named Matthew Maguire…or it might have been a carpenter from New York City by the name of Peter McGuire.
They’re surnames are so similar, said Grace-Ellen McCrann, a librarian with the New Jersey Historical Society. She believes the true “Father of Labor Day” was Matthew Maguire, who was the secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York in 1882.
McCrann reported: “Matthew
Maguire sent out the invitations, and he and his wife rode in the first
carriage at the head of the parade.” The keynote speaker at the gathering was
Peter McGuire, an associate of Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of
Labor. Perhaps this is the source of confusion, she suggested.
As many as 25,000 workers participated in the parade. It was followed by “a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.” Some sources said there was a picnic with a lot of beer involved…and dancing.
Labor Day became an
official federal holiday when the act of Congress was signed by President
Grover B. Cleveland in 1894.
There are a few noteworthy “calendar” issues associated with Labor Day that are worthy of discussion.
There will be “no wearing
of white clothing” between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Labor Day is also the
end of hotdog season. Labor Day marks the beginning of oyster eating season, as
September is an “R” month.
Let’s tackle the fashion code issue first. It used to be standard practice to pack away one’s white clothing as summer ended, a tradition attributed to northern city dwellers as they shuttered their summer cottages and cabins and returned to their urban lifestyle.
Reader’s Digest reported:
“By the 1950s, women’s magazines started making this ‘no white after Labor Day’
rule more public. Wearing white only between Memorial Day and Labor Day now signified
that a lady was part of the in-the-know fashion club.”
EmilyPost.com now says: “Of course, you can wear white after Labor Day, and it makes perfect sense to do so in climates where September's temperatures are hardly fall-like. It’s more about fabric choice today than color. The true interpretation is ‘wear what’s appropriate’ – for the weather, the season or the occasion.”
One who always marched to her own drummer, as far back as the 1920s, was fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel of France, who made white a year-round part of her wardrobe.
Born into poverty and raised in an orphanage, Chanel rose to extend her influence and brand beyond couture clothing to include jewelry, handbags and fragrances. Her signature scent, Chanel No. 5, has become an iconic product.
Furthermore, Chanel not
only made suntans acceptable, “she made sunbathing fashionable,” said author
Edmonde Charles-Roux. Voilà!
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