Why Labor Day is important: Remembering the Triangle factory fire

For many people, Labor Day marks the end of summer, the last day on which you can tastefully wear white shoes, or the beginning of football season. The lack of a clear connection to labor itself is hardly surprising. As the United States economy has moved away from manufacturing, the idea of a day specifically set aside to honor the American labor force can seem strangely old-fashioned.

However, as consumers line up for great deals at an endless array of Labor Day sales, it's worth considering the events that pushed labor unions to the forefront of the American power structure. Labor Day has been a recognized holiday since 1894, when President Grover Cleveland made it part of the federal response to the horrendously divisive Pullman Car Strike. But even after labor got its very own holiday, working situations continued to be grim for millions, as waves of immigrants enabled America's manufacturers to keep wages low and workplace conditions primitive at best. This became particularly clear on March 25, 1911, when the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire caught the attention of America's workers and galvanized labor leaders.