Always the first Monday in September, Labor Day is meant to be a tribute to the American worker. Specifically, the day honors those who have made the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States possible throughout the country’s history.

The holiday started modestly in cities and towns, with the first celebration on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, held by the Central Labor Union. Given the growth of labor organizations at this time in American history and the era of industrialization, the idea of a day to honor the American worker quickly spread to other cities and then to states. Although the day’s focus on organized labor has diminished over the years, the legal holiday still marks the end of summer and the traditional time for returning to school.