Labor Day's Origins: A Look Back at Peter J. McGuire

Celebrating Labor Day: Its History and Meaning

Every year on the first Monday of September, we celebrate Labor Day. Many of us have the day off, but why do we observe this holiday? And who was the person possibly responsible for its creation?

The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth 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. Let's take a closer look at its origins and the man widely credited with its founding, Peter J. McGuire.

Peter J. McGuire, the man widely credited with proposing Labor Day, in a photo taken before 1906.

Peter J. McGuire and the Birth of Labor Day

In 1882, Peter J. McGuire, a co-founder of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, proposed an idea to his union: to set aside one day every year to honor labor. He went on to share this idea with a larger audience at the New York Central Labor Union on May 8, 1882.

He suggested that the first Monday of September would be the day of observance, to be marked with a parade and a picnic. The Union approved his idea, and the very first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The observance was officially moved to a Monday just two years later, in 1884. The events for the day closely resembled what Peter had desired: a day full of parades, picnics, concerts, and speeches.

Labor Day's popularity spread quickly, and Oregon was the first state to legally recognize the holiday on February 21, 1887. By 1893, New Jersey had joined in, and soon after, 20 other states followed. Congress eventually passed a bill to make it a national holiday. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the bill, officially establishing Labor Day as a legal holiday for all federal employees.

From its origins, Labor Day honored only organized labor, but today, all who work are celebrated.

Who Was Peter McGuire?

Born in New York City on July 6, 1852, to a poor Irish Catholic family, Peter J. McGuire was a political activist and trade unionist. His life was a testament to his passion for making a difference.

In the United States, after the Civil War, labor had become a major issue. Business owners often failed to provide fair treatment for their workers, leading to the rise of organized labor unions to protect them. As one of these union leaders, Peter was deeply involved in the campaign for the eight-hour workday and joined the Greenback Labor Party in 1878. During this time, he continued to work as a carpenter and also joined the Knights of Labor. He was successful in leading a strike of carpenters in St. Louis for the eight-hour day, a testament to his dedication. It's said that Peter even gave from his own money to support the causes he led.

In the last years of his life, Peter attended his final Carpenters' convention in 1902. In a poignant statement to those present, he said:

[A] man wears out like a piece of machinery. . . . I am not lost entirely in this world but I have had enough to wreck me physically, destroy me mentally.

Four years later, on February 18, 1906, at the age of 53, he died. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, leaving behind his four children: Lillian, Kathryn, Peter James Jr., and Myrtle.

Sources

• Book Source: Holiday & Holy Days by Susan E. Richardson

• Image Source: Peter J. McGuire, via Wikimedia Commons