According to the Department of Labor, "Labor Day [...] is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contribution workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."
Originally celebrated with festivals and parades, the first Labor Day occurred on September 5, 1882 in NYC and was planned by the Central Labor Union. Since 1884, Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September. On February 21, 1887, Oregon became the first state to recognize Labor Day by law. The name of the person who first came up with the idea for Labor Day is unknown - historically, credit's given to either Matthew McGuire, secretary of the Central Labor Union (NY) or Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor (According to the DOL, "recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew McGuire [...] proposed the holiday in 1882").
For more information on Labor Day: U.S. DOL - The History of Labor Day
Image: "Helmet" [credit: Suat Eman] from freedigitalphotos.net
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