Labor Day is often the first official holiday and day off class for university students during the fall semester. But why it’s celebrated, the history and myths surrounding the federal holiday are often disregarded.
Based on records from the United States Department of Labor, Labor Day started in 1882 as a day to celebrate the laboring class. The first official celebration that year featured over 10,000 workers taking unpaid leave to represent the trade and labor unions advocating for better working conditions across the streets of New York City.
The day of celebration was later signed into law as an official federal holiday in 1894 by President Grover Clevland, officially marking the first Monday in September as a day to celebrate American workers. Labor unions continued to advocate for better working conditions after the creation of the holiday, and eventually established minimum wage laws, restrictions against child labor and an overall safter environment for all American workers.
The expression “don’t wear white after Labor Day” is also rooted in history as the color white used for clothing was associated with wealth and leisure. They were called the leisure class, generally made up of wealthier individuals and by wearing white, they showed their status as not needing to dirty their clothing through labor or work.
Wearing white was also a common summer fashion choice as it was the best option for keeping cool during the hotter months. As Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer, wearing white after the holiday was literally out of fashion.
It is said by the Farmer’s Almanac that people who wore white after Labor Day were more likely to be viewed as pretentious as it was considered showing off. Darker colored clothing hides dirt and grime achieved by performing manual labor tasks. By wearing lighter colors, it was implied that that person did not need to participate in those tasks. While the expression does not hold much weight anymore, its origins still show the importance of labor unions and the work they’ve done to improve conditions for the working class.
Nowadays, Labor Day marks the end of summer and begins the full transition into fall. Most businesses close for the day, including the University of Idaho campus which remained closed Monday, Sept. 7. Many students have been seen taking the long weekend as a chance to leave town or enjoy time with their loved ones after a busy first two weeks of the new school year. While Labor Day no longer means large parades or not putting on that white colored outfit, it is still an important federal holiday that celebrates the improvements made for our workforce here in the United States. Labor unions are still around today, fighting for workers’ rights across all industries. To most people, the day off is just a day to sleep in. However, for the working class in 1882, the day was a show of bravery and a fight for a better future.
Amelie Dobler can be reached at [email protected]