America's Labor Day on September 1st, as one of the country's important statutory holidays, carries profound historical heritage and rich social connotations. In the late 19th century, the United States entered a stage of rapid industrialization, but workers faced harsh working environments and excessively long working hours, with daily working hours even reaching 12 to 16 hours. Against this backdrop, workers launched a series of strikes and demonstrations to fight for reasonable working rights, and thus American Labor Day came into being. In 1882, workers in New York City held the first Labor Day celebration, and since then, the holiday has gradually gained nationwide recognition.
I.Echoes of History: The Arduous Struggle of the Labor Movement
The United States in the 1880s was experiencing the pains of the Industrial Revolution. In Chicago's slaughterhouses, Pittsburgh's steel mills, and New York's textile workshops, workers toiled 12-16 hours a day, earning less than $10 a week. The dangerous working conditions, meager wages, and lack of security prompted workers to organize and fight for their rights.
On September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day parade in history was held in New York City. Over 10,000 workers put down their tools and marched from City Hall to Union Square, holding signs advocating for the "eight-hour workday". Organizers deliberately chose September instead of May to avoid association with European labor movements, reflecting the uniqueness of the American labor movement.
A real turning point occurred in 1894. Workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike over wage cuts, which quickly spread to railway systems in 27 states. The suppression by federal troops resulted in the deaths of over 30 workers. To quell public anger, President Cleveland urgently signed a bill six days later, establishing Labor Day as a national holiday. This blood-stained history reminds us that today's workers' rights did not come easily.
II. Ways to Celebrate American Labor Day
2.1 Traditional Celebrations
2.1.1 Parades and Rallie👪
On American Labor Day, grand parades and rallies are held across the country, which are important parts of Labor Day celebrations. Parade contingents usually consist of representatives from various sectors such as trade unions, enterprise employees, community residents, and students. They wear neat clothes, march with vigorous steps, and proceed in an orderly manner along the main streets of the city.
Trade unions and workers' organizations play an important role in the parades. They express their concern and demands for workers' rights by displaying slogans, banners, and flags. The slogans on the signs include "Guarantee reasonable wages", "Shorten working hours", "Improve working conditions", etc. These slogans not only reflect the aspirations of the working class but also convey to all sectors of society the workers' pursuit of fairness, justice, and dignity.
There are also various characteristic floats and performance teams in the parade. Floats are usually designed with labor themes, showcasing the characteristics and achievements of different industries. For example, floats in the manufacturing industry may display models of large mechanical equipment, while those in agriculture are decorated with harvested crops. Performance teams include bands, dance troupes, acrobats, etc. Their wonderful performances add joy and festive atmosphere to the parade.
The spectators along the way are enthusiastic. They applaud and cheer for the parade contingents, celebrating this holiday belonging to workers together with the parade participants. Many parents also bring their children to watch the parade, so that children can understand the meaning and value of labor from an early age and cultivate their respect and reverence for workers.
2.1.2 Picnics and Barbecues🥩
Picnics and barbecues are popular family and community activities during American Labor Day. On this day, families, friends, and neighbors gather in outdoor places such as parks, beaches, and backyards to enjoy delicious food and happy times together.
People will carefully prepare a variety of delicacies, such as barbecued meat, hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, fruits, etc., and also bring cool drinks, such as beer, soda, juice, etc. Everyone sits around a picnic cloth or a dining table, tasting delicious food, chatting about life and work, and sharing each other's joys and troubles.
In addition to food, picnic and barbecue activities also include various entertainment programs. Children play on the grass, fly kites, and play games, while adults engage in some relaxing sports activities such as playing volleyball, badminton, frisbee, etc. Some communities also organize music performances, dance competitions, and other activities, allowing people to enjoy wonderful programs while savoring delicious food.
Picnics and barbecues are not only a way of celebration but also an opportunity for socializing and reuniting. In this fast-paced society, people are usually busy with work and life and rarely have time to get together with family and friends. The Labor Day picnics and barbecues give people a chance to put down their work, relax, and enhance their relationships with each other.
2.2 Characteristics of Modern Celebrations
2.2.1 Commercial Promotions🛒
With the development of the times, commercial promotions have become a prominent feature of American Labor Day celebrations. During the Labor Day holiday, major merchants seize this business opportunity and launch various discounts, preferential offers, and promotional activities to attract consumers to shop.
Shopping malls, supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, etc., will all participate. The promoted products cover various fields such as clothing, home appliances, digital products, and household items. For example, many clothing brands will launch end-of-season clearance sales with discounts as high as 30%-50%; home appliance stores will offer preferential policies of giving small home appliances when purchasing large ones; e-commerce platforms will hold limited-time rush purchases, full reduction activities, etc.
Merchants also conduct extensive publicity through advertising, posters, social media, and other channels to attract consumers' attention. Some merchants will release promotional information in advance, allowing consumers enough time to understand and plan their shopping. On Labor Day, shopping malls and supermarkets are often crowded with consumers, who take this opportunity to buy their favorite products.
Commercial promotion activities not only meet consumers' shopping needs but also bring considerable economic benefits to merchants. At the same time, they have also become part of Labor Day celebrations, adding a strong commercial atmosphere to the holiday.
2.2.2 Sports Events🏆
Hosting various sports events is also a major feature of American Labor Day celebrations. On this day, various sports events are wonderful, providing people with a variety of entertainment choices.
Baseball and football are the two most popular sports events in the United States. During Labor Day, Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL) usually arrange exciting games. Fans will wear the jerseys of their supported teams, go to the stadium to cheer for the teams, and the atmosphere at the scene is extremely warm.
In addition to baseball and football, other sports such as basketball, tennis, golf, etc., will also hold corresponding events. For example, the US Open is usually held around Labor Day. It is one of the four Grand Slam events in tennis, attracting many top players to participate and also attracting the attention of fans around the world.
Sports events not only bring wonderful visual enjoyment to people but also stimulate people's enthusiasm for sports. Many people will participate in sports activities during Labor Day, such as participating in basketball games and football games organized by the community, to celebrate this holiday through sports.
2.3 Regional Characteristics
The United States has a vast territory, and different regions have their own characteristics in celebrating Labor Day. As the largest city in the United States, New York's Labor Day parade is large-scale and distinctive, attracting the attention of tourists and media from all over the world.
New York's Labor Day parade is usually held on the main streets of Manhattan. The parade contingent is several miles long, with many participants, including representatives from various industries, trade unions, and civil groups. In the parade, in addition to traditional slogans, banners, and float displays, there are also wonderful music performances, dance shows, and street art performances. For example, some dance groups will perform New York-style street dance and Broadway dance in the parade, showcasing New York's multiculturalism and artistic charm.
Different from the bustling and lively atmosphere in New York, Labor Day celebrations in some small towns have more local folk customs. In these small towns, people will hold traditional country fairs to display local agricultural products, handicrafts, and traditional food. There are various amusement facilities, performance activities, and competition projects at the fair, such as tractor pulling competitions, equestrian performances, cooking competitions, etc., which are full of a strong rural life atmosphere.
In some small towns in the south, people will also hold barbecue competitions. Each participating team will show their unique barbecue skills and secret sauces to compete for the "Best Barbecue Award". This kind of competition is not only a contest of food but also a platform for communication and interaction between neighbors, enhancing the cohesion of the community.
References
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/51-million-americans-have-labor-day-travel-plans-with-florida-as-the-top-destination-according-to-a-valuepenguincom-survey-301367413.html
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/137-million-american-adults-53-to-travel-for-labor-day-2021-despite-75-concerned-about-the-delta-variant-according-to-a-survey-by-the-vacationer-301355011.html
- https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-data-for-labor-day.htm
