L A B O R D AY34

F E D E R A L H O L I D AY S

ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Peter McGuire sold
When Peter McGuire was seventeen, he began anpapers on the street in New York City. He
apprenticeship in a piano shop. This job was better thanshined shoes and cleaned stores, and laterhis previous jobs, for he was learning a trade, but heran errands. It was 1863 and his father, a poor Irish
still worked long hours with low pay. At night he wentimmigrant, had just enlisted to fight in the Civil War.
to meetings and classes in economics and social issues
Peter had to help support his mother and six brothersof the day. One of the main issues of concern pertainedand sisters.
to labor conditions. Workers were
In the nineteenth century, many
tired of long hours, low pay, unsafe
immigrants from Europe and elseworking environments and uncerwhere settled in New York City, Chitain jobs. They spoke of organizing
cago, and other major areas of thethemselves into a union of laborers
United States. They found that living
to improve their working condiconditions were not as wonderful astions. In the spring of 1872, Peterthey had dreamed. Many immigrants
McGuire and 100,000 workers
lived in the poorest ghettos of the city
went on strike and marched throughin run-down housing. Often there
the streets, demanding a decrease in
were six families crowded into a
the long working day.
house made for one family.
This event convinced Peter that
Working conditions were evenan organized labor movement wasworse. Immigrant men, women, andimportant for the future of workers’
even very young children workedrights. He spent the next year speakin factories, cloth and steel mills,
ing to crowds of workers and unemcoalmines, and in construction. They
ployed people, and lobbying the city
worked under dismal conditions, for twelve to fourgovernment for jobs and relief money. It was not an
teen hours a day, often seven days a week. They wereeasy road for Peter McGuire. He became known as aallowed to stop only for a short time to eat, and received“disturber of the public peace.” The city government
no vacations or benefits. They came to work even if
ignored his demands. Peter developed a reputation
they were sick, because if they didn’t, they could beamong business owners as a troublemaker, and he could
fired. Thousands of people were waiting to take their
not find a job in his trade. He began to travel up andplaces. In those days, there was nodown the East Coast to speak toconcept of workers’ rights, and faclaborers about unionizing. In 1881,PREVIOUS
PAGE:
A
memberofalaborunion
marches
withtory owners could treat workers as
he moved to St. Louis, Missouri,
the flag at a Labor Day parade.
they wished. Immigrant workers ABOVE: Garment workers were a major force in the move- and began to organize carpenterswere especially vulnerable.
ment for union representation.
there. He organized a convention

F E D E R A L H O L I D AY S

35

L A B O R D AY

I Hear America Singing
Walt Whitman

The American poet, Walt Whitman, conveys a romanticized picture of labor as he celebrates the spirit
and contributions of the American worker in this famous poem.
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear:Those of mechanics—each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong;
The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves for work;
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat—the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench—the hatter singing as he stands;
The woodcutter’s song—the plowboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission, or at sundown;
The delicious singing of the mother—or of the young wife at work—or of the girl sewing or washing
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else;
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
of carpenters in Chicago, and it was at this event that anational union of carpenters was founded. He became
General Secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
The idea of organizing workers according to theirtrades spread around the country. Factory workers,
dockworkers, and toolmakers all began to demandand get their rights to an eight-hour workday, a secure
job, and a future in their trades. Peter McGuire and laborers in other cities decided to plan a holiday forworkers, both as a tribute to their contributions to thenation, and as a means of bringing more public awareness to their struggles. They chose the first Monday in
September, a date midway between Independence Dayand Thanksgiving.
On September 5, 1882 the first Labor Day parade
was held in New York City. Twenty thousand workers
marched in the parade up Broadway. They carriedbanners that read “LABOR CREATES ALL
WEALTH,” and “EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK;EIGHT HOURS FOR REST; EIGHT HOURS FOR
RECREATION!” After the parade, there were picnics
all around the city. Workers and celebrants ate Irish
stew, homemade bread, and apple pie. At night, fireL A B O R D AY

works were set off. Within the next few years, the ideaof a day to honor workers spread from coast to coast,
and all states celebrated Labor Day. In 1894, Congress
voted it a national holiday.
Today we celebrate Labor Day with less fanfare
on the first Monday of September. Some cities haveparades and community picnics. Many politicians“kick off” their political campaigns by holding rallies
on the holiday. Most Americans consider Labor Day
the end of the summer, and the beaches and other popular resort areas are packed with people enjoying one
last three-day weekend. For many students, the newschool year begins right after Labor Day.
Glossary
immigrant: n. person who moves permanently to another country
condition(s): n. circumstance; life situation
ghetto(s): n. defined area of a town or city where a certain ethnic or cultural group lives
run-down: adj. needing much repair; in bad condition
because of neglectdismal: adj. miserable and depressing
fire(d): v. to dismiss from a job
36

F E D E R A L H O L I D AY S

concept: n. idea; notion
vulnerable: adj. unprotected; easily harmed or taken
advantage ofapprenticeship: n. on-the-job training for someone
new to the field
pertain(ed): v. relate toorganize(ing): v. to form an association for a goal or
purposeunion: n. an organization of workers
on strike: idiom. not working as a protest against
managementlabor movement: n. phrase. political activities to improve the conditions of laborers
lobby(ing): v. to urge officials or members of Congress
to vote a certain way on an issue
ignore(d): v. pay no attention to; disregard
reputation: n. public opinion about the quality ofsomeone’s character
unionize(ing): v. to form a legal union or groupconvention: n. large meeting generally to learn about
and discuss issues
joiner(s): n. carpenter who makes desks, chairs, andother furniture that is put together from pieces
fanfare: n. large, noisy celebration or show
kick off: v. to begin, launch, commence
rally(ies): n. meeting held to arouse public interest andsupportpack(ed): v. to fill as fully as possible

F E D E R A L H O L I D AY S37

L A B O R D AY