Every year Americans break out their grills, turn on their
favorite game, and take one last dip in the pool in celebration of the last
long weekend holiday of the summer. We
call it Labor Day Weekend and it is typically seen as the end of summer. By September most schools are back in session
and the scorching summer heat is starting to subside. It is a bitter-sweet moment for us all as we
prepare for the fall and winter. Is that
what Labor Day is? Not exactly…
In 1880, railroad workers in Pullman, Illinois went on
strike due to layoffs, low wages, and poor conditions. They were supported by the American Railway
Union whose members across the nation joined them in the boycott. Transportation came to a standstill, with
vital services, such as mail delivery being interrupted.
President Grover Cleveland, with pressure from the railroad
executives, declared participation in the strike a federal crime and sent out
12,000 troops to enforce his order. In
Chicago, federal marshals killed two men.
In 1894, the strike was officially declared over. Leader of the American Railway Union, Eugene
Debs was arrested and the ARU was disbanded.
It was an election year, and a demand for a federal labor holiday had
been in the works since 1892. To appease
the workers, President Cleveland and Congress pushed a bill to create Labor
Day. To find out if his idea worked in
getting Cleveland reelected, research more about the formation of Labor Day.
Enjoy your long weekend and don’t forget about the
sacrifices of those before you to make America a better place today!
by Billy Pennington (SCVCS Government/Economics HS Teacher)
