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Prior to being designated a federal holiday 131 years ago, Labor Day was a holiday in 31 states. 聽

In the 1880s, municipal ordinances were passed and 鈥渁 movement developed to secure state legislation,鈥� according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Oregon was the first state to recognize Labor Day as a holiday, on Feb. 21, 1887.聽

That year, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York 鈥減assed laws creating a Labor Day holiday. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania had followed suit.鈥� Congress made the first Monday in September a federal holiday on June 28, 1894, and by that time, 鈥�23 more states had adopted the holiday.鈥澛�

President Grover Cleveland signed the 1894 legislation. The federal designation, in part, was a government-political reaction to the public outcry over the handling of the Pullman strike in 1894 that included federal troops.

The Pullman company manufactured railroad sleeping cars and operated them on the nation鈥檚 railroads, in a time before airplanes and automobiles. Continuing well into the 20^th聽century, railroads were the main transportation system. Railroads were the largest private employer, illustrated by the creation of the Railroad Retirement system that matches Social Security.

The holiday celebrates 鈥渢he social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late 19th century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America鈥檚 strength, prosperity and well-being.鈥� That鈥檚 the history from the Department of Labor.

A variety of other solid historical sources document the extremely harsh 19th聽century working conditions: 12-hour workdays, six or seven days a week. No safety measures. Many of the workers were children.聽

In many places, parades have been part of the holiday鈥檚 celebrations since the first Labor Day parade in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union. Both Peter J. McGuire, a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, and Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union, attended the 1882 parade. Both men 鈥渃an make a solid claim鈥� to first proposing the holiday.

My hometown of Pana, Illinois, has a Labor Day parade that draws marching bands and other participants and a large number of parade watchers from many Central Illinois communities. The floats, bands, farm tractors and horses came by our house on Kitchell Avenue.

A couple of times, my Explorer Post served as the color guard for the massed U.S. flags leading the parade. We took it seriously 鈥� no horseplay. For years, our Labor Day weekend to Pana was a family tradition for family. Fond memories.

It鈥檚 interesting to read in the Labor Department history that Labor Day parades, are 鈥渧ery similar to those outlined by the first proposal for a holiday, which suggested that the day should be observed with a street parade.鈥�

Little River resident D.G. Schumacher has been a newspaper journalist for more than 60 years.