TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

For many Americans, Labor Day means one last long weekend before summer officially ends!  Labor day equals barbecues, a trip to the beach, and a Monday off. But the holiday began with the belief that working people deserved recognition and a say in shaping the conditions of their labor.  The first Labor Day celebration took place in New York City on September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union. Thousands of workers marched through the city in a public demonstration that showed the unity in organized labor. The exact person who first proposed the holiday remains disputed between labor leaders Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire, but its purpose was to celebrate the contributions workers made to the country and to demonstrate what could be accomplished through solidarity. By 1894, Labor Day had become a federal holiday, officially observed on the first Monday of September. The labor movement fought for many things that are now so embedded in American life that it can...

Labor Day, a national holiday celebrated on the first Monday of September, honors the contributions of American workers and their relentless fight for fair labor practices. While it's a day often associated with barbecues, parades, and the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day's roots are steeped in the labor movement's history—a history marked by both progress and setbacks. One film in our library that captures the harsh realities workers have faced is the 1993 made-for-TV movie For Their Own Good , directed by Ed Kaplan. For Their Own Good tells the harrowing story of Sally Wheeler, a factory worker at the crossroads of personal freedom and economic survival. Set in a small-town factory, Sally and her fellow female workers are given an unimaginable ultimatum: agree to be sterilized or lose their jobs. The film is based on true events , reflecting a dark chapter in labor history where workers, particularly women, were subjected to coercive practices under the guise of ...