TED Talks Daily - Why do Americans and Canadians celebrate Labor Day? | Kenneth C. Davis

Episode Date: September 2, 2024

In the United States and Canada, the first Monday of September is a federal holiday, Labor Day. Originally celebrated in New York City’s Union Square in 1882, Labor Day was organized by unions as a rare day of rest for the overworked during the Industrial Revolution. Kenneth C. Davis illustrates the history of Labor Day from Union Square to today. 

TED Audio Collective. You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. If you're one of our American or Canadian listeners, you're probably not working today in observance of Labor Day.

But what is the story behind getting a day off work to celebrate working? Educator Kenneth C. Davis gives us a quick history and all the context after the break. Support for this show comes from Airbnb. If you know me, you know I love staying in Airbnbs when I travel. They make my family feel most at home when we're away from home. As we settled down at our Airbnb during a recent vacation to Palm Springs, I pictured my own home sitting empty. Wouldn't it be smart and better put to use welcoming a family like mine by hosting it on Airbnb? It feels like the practical thing to do,

and with the extra income, I could save up for renovations to make the space even more inviting for ourselves and for future guests. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.ca slash host. AI keeping you up at night? Wondering what it means for your business? Don't miss the latest season of Disruptors, the podcast that takes a closer look at the innovations reshaping our economy.

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Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. How's this for a strange idea? A day off from work in honor of work itself. Actually, that is what Labor Day, celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday of every September, is all about. The first American Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882, as thousands of workers and their families came to Union Square for a day in the park. It was not a national holiday, but had been organized by a union to honor workers and their hard efforts with a rare day of rest, halfway between July 4 and Thanksgiving.

There were picnics and a parade, but there were also protests. The workers had gathered not just to rest and celebrate, but to demand fair wages, the end of child labor, and the right to organize into unions. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, many jobs were difficult, dirty, and dangerous. People worked for 12 hours, six days a week, without fringe benefits such as vacations, health care, and pensions.

And if you were young, chances are you were doing manual labor instead of your ABCs and fractions. Children as young as 10 worked in some of the most hazardous places like coal mines or factories filled with boiling vats or dangerous machines. Trying to win better pay, shorter hours, and safer conditions, workers had begun to form labor unions in America and Canada. But the companies they worked for often fought hard to keep unions out and to suppress strikes. At times, this led to violent battles between workers and business owners, with the owners often backed up by the police or to the episode.

In the following years, the idea of Labor Day caught on in America, with official celebrations reaching 30 states. But then came the violent Haymarket Square Riot of 1886, which led to the deaths of several policemen and workers in Chicago and the execution of four union leaders. After that, many labor and political groups around the world had begun to mark Haymarket Square on May 1st, which became known as International Workers' Day. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the law making Labor Day a federal holiday in America, only days after he had sent 12,000 soldiers to end a violent railroad strike that resulted in the death of several people. The original September date was kept, partly to avoid the more radical associations of May 1st. Canada also created its

Labor Day in 1894. But in spite of this new holiday, it would be a long time before the changes that workers wanted became a reality. In 1938, during the Great Depression that left millions without jobs, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law calling for an eight-hour workday, a five-day work week, and an end to child labor, some of the first federal protections for American workers. As America and Canada celebrate Labor Day, most of the two countries' children enjoy a day off from school. But it is important to remember that there was a time that every day was a Labor Day for children in America

and Canada. And unfortunately, the same fact remains true for millions of children around the world today. Support for this show comes from Airbnb. If you know me, you know I love staying in Airbnbs when I travel. They make my family feel most at home when we're away from home. As we settled down at our Airbnb during a recent vacation to Palm Springs, I pictured my own home sitting empty. Wouldn't it be smart and better put to use welcoming a family like mine by hosting it on Airbnb?

It feels like the practical thing to do. And with the extra income, I could save up for renovations to make the space even more inviting for ourselves and for future guests. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.ca slash host. That was educator Kenneth C. Davis for TED-Ed. If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This episode was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Autumn Thompson, and Alejandra Salazar. It was mixed by Christopher Fazi Bogan. Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo. I'm Elise Hugh. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed. Thanks for listening. Looking for a fun challenge to share with your friends and family? TED now has games designed to keep your mind sharp while having fun. Visit TED.com slash games to explore the joy and wonder of TED Games.