Labor Day: Capitalism's Annual "Thanks for Not Overthrowing Us" Picnic

As the air begins to crisp and the first hints of autumn emerge, Labor Day weekend marks the transition from "hot girl summer" to "basic pumpkin spice fall." It's like the fancy appetizer that comes before the main course of existential dread that is the rest of the year.

When is Labor Day?

Celebrated each year on the first Monday of September, the national holiday falls on Sept. 2 this year. Because nothing says "we appreciate your labor" like a Monday off in September.

Why is Labor Day celebrated?

Labor Day is celebrated to acknowledge that worker's rights aren't just free t-shirts and pizza parties. In the late 19th Century, American workers formed labor unions and advocated for better working conditions, reasonable hours, and fair wages, according to USA TODAY. You know, the bare minimum.

The first Labor Day was observed on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by the Central Labor Union. Because even back then, New Yorkers knew how to throw a good protest party. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, followed by four more states that year — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

By the time President Grover Cleveland signed it into law as a federal holiday in 1894, 23 states had adopted the holiday. That's right, it took a whole 12 years for the rest of the country to catch up. Talk about slow progress.