5 facts about Labor Day you may not have known

In the US, Labor Day falls on the first Monday in September and provides a much anticipated 3-day weekend for Americans. In modern times, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer and is seen as an opportunity to enjoy beach days and summer outings before Fall hits. For many, the origin and purpose of Labor Day are not well known. Below are 5 facts you may not have known about the holiday:

The first Labor Day parade was held in New York on Sept 5, 1882. Organized by the Central Labor Union, the parade consisted of 10,000 workers and ended with a concert and picnic.

Labor Day was named a national holiday in 1894 to celebrate the contributions of the men and women in the workforce who often worked 7 days a week for 12 hour days.

The Adamson Act was passed on Labor Day in 1916 and established the 8-hour workday we have today.

The belief that a person can't wear white after labor day stems from people packing up their lighter summer clothes in preparation for cooler fall weather.

Other countries around the world have a similar holiday to celebrate workers and much of Europe celebrates May Day on May 1st.