Eight Hours for Work, Eight Hours for Rest: America's Labor Day Story
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Eight Hours for Work, Eight Hours for Rest: America's Labor Day Story
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About this listen
Civic holidays are days set aside to commemorate important events or values in our nation's history. They serve as reminders of our shared past and principles rather than just opportunities for celebration. Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September, originated in the late 1800s when workers organized into unions to demand better working conditions, fair wages, and reasonable hours.
• Civic holidays include Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Constitution Day
• Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894 after workers organized for better conditions
• The labor movement fought for the eight-hour workday with the slogan "eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what we will."
• Labor Day honors all types of workers who keep our country running
• The US celebrates Labor Day in September, while many other countries observe International Workers' Day on May 1st
• Civic holidays connect past struggles to present-day benefits we often take for granted
Teachers, a classroom activity sheet called "Design Your Own Civic Holiday" is available here.
Check Out the Civic Literacy Curriculum!
School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership
Center for American Civics