“I love getting up in the morning. I clap my hands and say, ‘This is gonna be a great day.’”

–the late Dicky Fox

sports agent in the film Jerry Maguire (1996)

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, 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 contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. (from the U.S. Department of Labor)

It was the Industrial Revolution (in the late 1800s) with its 12-hour 7-day schedules that inspired a need for better protection of workers (and by workers, we’re talking about physical tough stuff that makes you and I feel lucky type of workers).

The first Labor Day parade (10,000 marching workers) was in New York City in 1882. It took 12 years before Congress made it a holiday. History.com has Canada’s labor celebrations as the spark for that first U.S. Labor Day parade.