The history of Labor Day
On this Labor Day many are celebrating a free day off from work with barbecues and beach trips. The holiday originally started in 1882 in New York City as a way for early unions to organize for basic workers rights. On the first Labor Day 30,000 union members to a picnic with their families in Union Square Park. We’re speaking with Ken Davis, author of “Don’t Know Much About History” and wrote about Labor Day for CNN. He tells us about the violent history of Labor Day, including Labor struggles, poor working conditions and the first Labor Day in Union Square.
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