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• The first U.S. Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882.
• More than 160 million Americans are part of the U.S. workforce today.
• Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday in 1887.
• President Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law as a national holiday in 1894. Read more about the first Labor Day here.
• Labor Day is often called the “unofficial end of summer.”
• The holiday inspired the tradition of backyard barbecues and parades.
• Some credit Labor Day with launching the American 40-hour workweek.
• Canada also celebrates Labour Day on the same date.
– Staff report with AI assist*
*As a company focused on innovative tools to build community, we embrace AI as an editorial resource to help us create relevant content. Every article is reviewed and modified by one of our editors to ensure accuracy.