Young Americans admit they 'have no clue' why Labor Day is celebrated
Americans all around the country are today celebrating Labor Day - a federal holiday that always falls on the first Monday of September.
The three-day weekend is an occasion for people to spend time together, have barbecues, do shopping, and go to the beach - but despite being a national holiday since 1894, not everyone appears to know the real reason why Labor Day is celebrated. Some Generation Z Americans have admitted they "have no clue" why the country celebrates this holiday.
The annual celebration, rooted in the labor movement of the 19th century, was established to recognise the contributions workers have made to America. At a time when workers faced long hours, low wages and unsafe conditions, labor unions and activists started calling for better treatment and came up with the idea to establish a day to celebrate the members of trade unions.
Gen Z Americans celebrate the federal holiday, but many have no idea why (Fox news)Nowadays, Labor Day is celebrated with parades and parties, as well as speeches by elected officials and community leaders. It first became a national holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed a law passed by Congress designating the first Monday in September as a holiday for workers.
But even before that, Labor Day was recognised by activists and individual states. New York was the first state to introduce a bill, but Oregon was the first to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on February 21, 1887, explains the US Department of Labor.
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During 1887, four more states – Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York – passed laws creating a Labor Day holiday. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania had followed suit.
According to records, the first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882, in New York City. It was also celebrated a year later on September 5, 1883.
Now, Labor Day is a nationwide holiday and is also seen as an occasion to mark the end of the summer season. It is one of the largest sales dates of the year, second only to Black Friday. But while many young people take part in celebrations, several also admit they do not actually know what Labor Day is.
Talking to Fox News, Jeremy said: "I actually don't know why we celebrate Labor Day." Elijah added: "I have no clue. I was wondering this the other day. Honestly, I think it's just a day off work. I have no more info than that." Asked whether she knew what Labor Day is, Brianna replied: "Something to do with America?"
Joey said: "We as Americans celebrate Labor Day because if we didn’t work, we wouldn't have the money to pay for all of this. It's why we live, why we breathe, why we experience culture as it is." Another said the holiday is "for the working people".
But while some Gen-Z Americans appear to have forgotten the origins of Labor Day, others appear to know the meaning behind the federal holiday. Anika said: "Labor Day is the day in which you remember all the people that fought for the rights of working people like myself. Basically, it's a day - I think it's during the Industrial Revolution — people basically fought and demonstrated for their rights."
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