Remembering the fight for Labor Day in 1890s Rhode Island
September 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
R.I. Central Labor Union newspaper, 1893
In the modern age, many American holidays’ roots have been largely forgotten, becoming more like Britain’s bank holidays than specific celebrations. Labor Day is one of those, which is too bad, since it has a rich local history of its own.
Scott Molloy, a professor at the University of Rhode Island’s Schmidt Labor Research Center, retold the story in a 1993 issue of Old Rhode Island magazine:
In the midst of the financial panic of 1893, Rhode Island workers secured a long-sought ambition – the establishment of the first Monday in September as a legal holiday.
The state’s horny-fisted sons and daughters of toil had marched, petitioned, and agitated for over a decade. Rhode Island workers witnessed New York and Oregon pass holiday legislation in 1887, and by the spring of 1893 most other states had followed suit. The General Assembly, under the prodding of elected representatives from various mill towns, finally joined the bandwagon, and Governor Russell Brown signed the authorization.
Read the rest here. I’ll be back tomorrow – Happy Labor Day!
(image credit: Quahog.org)
Tags: history, holidays, labor day, organized labor, scott molloy, unions
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
ted an excellent piece of journalism. happy labor day to you from a proud retired union member.
Back when unions were needed. Today’s thick-necked jackboot thug union leaders belong in the past.
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Thanks!