A labor union leader, Peter J. Maguire was the father of Labor Day (Gale Research 325). It was his suggestion to the Central Labor Union of New York that Americans take a day to honor the "American working man" (Gale Research 325). As a result, Union Square became the site of the first Labor Day parade, with some 10,000 workers marching on the square (Gale Research 325).
The march was followed by fireworks, political speeches and a picnic (Gale Research 325). Later, state proclamations made the holiday official, and an annual event (Gale Research 325).
The date on which Labor Day falls generally has no significance (Gale Research 325). The day was originally chosen with little forethought aside from the fact that the date was between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving; it would fill in the "gap" between the two holidays (Gale Research 325).
Our modern celebration of Labor Day is not so much in celebration of the "American working man", but as the end of the vacation season and a nice chance for relaxation, picnics, sporting events, reunions, and festivals (Gale Research 325). The holiday is not bound to a fixed date each year (Gale Research 325).