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Once was the time that Labor Day marked the unofficial last day of summer.

Labor Day was the last day of summer before school started.

Labor Day hinted at the coming football season.

The holiday signaled a renewed dedication to work as summer vacations and summer breaks came to an end.

That was then.

Labor Day remains a vacation day for many, including students, but school started a month ago for many area youths.

Football season has already kicked off.

Labor Day once held the promise that fall would soon arrive.

The date still does.

However, the holiday is more than just the end of summer and football season. The holiday is rooted in the late 19th Century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

Labor Day marks the day in 1894 when Congress declared the first Monday in September a national holiday to honor the nation’s workers and their contributions to the well-being of the country. Labor Day’s roots date back to the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.

Labor Day has changed a lot since 1894, but it’s important to always keep the true spirit of the holiday close to heart. 

It is a day when workers can feel respected for the work that they have done over the year. It’s a day when workers and their needs and rights are in focus.

Labor Day is celebrated  to recognize the achievements of the United States labor movement in the late 19th Century when American workers began to form labor unions and advocate for better working conditions, reasonable hours and fair wages.

It’s a day that honors American workers of all professions. Their participation fuels our economy and gross national product.

Today, America’s tribute to working men and women is celebrated with parades, picnics, festivals, barbecue cookouts, and parties.

Labor Day was and remains a turning point when we start looking for the first cool day, the first drop of a leaf, the crystal blue sky, the first brisk evening with just a hint of chill.

No matter that the calendar still claims three more weeks of summer, no matter how much our schedules have changed in the lead up to this day, no matter what the thermometer reports on the back porch, Labor Day may no longer be the unofficial end of summer, but it does herald the unofficial coming of fall.

We hope it is a marker of cooler days to come.

But first, let’s tip our hats this weekend to the strength, ingenuity, and tireless dedication of America’s workforce. Happy Labor Day 2024!