Jay Som, Black Belt Eagle Scout, CHAMPS, Ezra Furman, The Hold Steady
There was an economic downturn in 1893, and by 1894 there was a depression where up to 18% of the country's population was out of work. Wages were slashed at the Pullman Palace Car Company in Illinois, and workers went on strike. The American Railway Union (ARU), led by Eugene Debs, joined the cause, and workers of the ARU refused to handle Pullman railcars. Eventually, President Grover Cleveland sent in federal troops, and the state militia also arrived. The strike was crushed and some died. It was at this time that Labor Day was pushed through as a federal holiday, in order to placate labor after this bitter strike. By this time, thirty states already officially observed the holiday. Traditionally, Labor Day consists of parades, followed by gatherings of workers with their families and friends. Labor Day also marks the unofficial end of summer, and it is around this time that students go back to school, and fall sports begin.
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