I’m looking forward to enjoying Labor Day with my family. The weather should be beautiful and it’ll be nice to have a long weekend. But there’s more to Labor Day than family, food and last true days of Summer. I knew Labor Day had something to do with labor, but I didn’t really know the actual history behind the Labor Day holiday, and I didn’t know it figured prominently in Chicago history.
I just read the other day that Labor Day was designated a Federal holiday in 1894 by President Cleveland as a result of the Pullman Railcar Workers Strike. The strike, like so many others at the time, was to fight for reasonable pay and an 8 hour workday. This particular strike affected not only Pullman porters and other workers in the Town of Pullman in Chicago, but approximately 250,000 Pullman workers in cities across the nation. So, the Labor Day Holiday is also a day to remember (and honor) American workers and their rights.
Thank you
Very nice article. I didn’t know that the Pullman Railroad Workers Strike was responsible for the holiday’s creation. I have been to the historic Pullman homes several times.
Thanks Suzette. I went on a Chicago History tour of Pullman and it was fascinating, especially since it was a company town. I think it’s considered a national park now. When the state of Illinois ran it they were going to restore the Hotel Florence, but I don’t think that’s been completed.