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Al Lewis end Mary Dclidovo of 04.2.1,State Soudteld. es of Oilt Pack and Cid of Stalf liarrnonlmn of Ord I Mike Smith DJN Foundation Archivist L abor Day — the last holiday of the summer, time to leave work behind and hold one last back- yard barbecue with friends and family, or time to head north for a last camping trip over the long weekend, close the cottage for winter or walk with Michigan's gover- nor across the Mackinac Bridge, a tradi- tion that began when the bridge opened in 1957. Working stiffs of America, rejoice! This is our day! For most people, Labor Day is simply the last long weekend before Thanksgiving. For our state's and nation's unions and their members, however, it is a century-old celebration of the contribu- tions that working people — carpenters, electricians, housewives, autoworkers, teachers, nurses, truck drivers and many others — have made toward the building of modern America. And among the people building this nation and marching on Labor Day are Jewish Detroiters, Jewish Michiganders and Jewish Americans. Holiday History Exit 198 from 1-94 Exit 20 from 1-275 1.888.844.7275 • gwikpark.com 2002930 24 September 3 • 2015 Labor Day officially began in 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed federal legislation declaring the first Monday in September a national legal holiday, but the origins of Labor Day predate this act. As trade unions grew in America during the mid- to late-19th century, their members began to hold occasional parades, rallies and picnics to demonstrate the talents and accomplishments of American workers. For more than 100 years, Michiganders have participated in such celebrations. The first recorded event in the state occurred on July 4, 1865, when more than 4,000 union members marched on Woodward Historic clippings from the JN Avenue in Detroit, carrying banners, tools and other symbols of their trades, on their way to a huge picnic. By the turn of the century, such demonstrations were occur- ring in cities and towns across Michigan and the United States. Historians have often credited Peter J. McGuire, founder and first president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners union in New York, as the chief creator and promoter of a holiday to celebrate the work and skills of the labor movement. There is also evidence that Matthew Maguire, secretary of a Machinists and Blacksmith's local union, first brought the idea of Labor Day to the New York Central Labor Union before Peter McGuire raised the issue. A march of 30,000 tradespeople in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, is gener- ally considered the nation's first Labor Day parade — although this is a highly disputed fact. The honor of the first Labor Day parade is also claimed by Pittsburgh, which held a labor parade on June 17, 1882, and by Rhode Island, which held its Labor Day celebration on Aug. 23, 1882. While these celebrations were certainly among the largest held to that date, the labor movement had held many celebra- tions before that time. After these prominent celebrations, Labor Day parades and picnics blossomed around the nation. In its heyday during the 1940s and 1950s, the Detroit Labor Day parade was a huge spectacle, attract- ing hundreds of thousands of marchers and spectators. Moreover, Labor Day in Detroit attracted presidents of the United States such as Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and, most recently, Barack Obama, as well as presidential hopefuls such as U. S. Senators John Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson. When Truman visited Detroit on Labor Day in 1948, he spoke to a crowd of more than 200,000 people. Indeed, for many years, Detroit, America's premier union town, was the place to be on Labor Day. During the 1960s and 1970s, which were tough times for most unions in America, most formal Labor Day celebra- tions in Michigan began to disappear from most towns and cities. Even the storied Detroit Labor Day parade disappeared for more than a decade until it was revived in 1980. Today, thousands of people still march in Labor Day parades in Detroit as well as Hamtramck and New York City. Jewish Involvement From the beginning of Labor Day as the holiday for workers and the labor move- ment, Jewish union members have par- ticipated. In New York City Jewish union members representing a myriad of trades marched and still march on Labor Day. In particular, Jewish members dominated the needle trades in that city; and the mem- bers of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and its legendary presi- dent from 1932-1966, David Dubinsky, marched on Labor Day. In Detroit for many years, Bernie Firestone, president of the local Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, was a prime supporter of the parade. Myra Wolfgang, pioneering leader of restaurant and hotel workers from Detroit, marched in the city's massive Labor Day parades for many years. And, autoworkers like UAW Vice President Irving Bluestone and Nat Weinberg marched along with Walter Reuther on Labor Day. And, most of all, average Jewish working folks, from all occupations and all trade unions marched — and still march. So, take a break, have a great Labor Day you've earned it. And, since 1882, this has been your official holiday. — ❑