The Year Following the Tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire a Block from the Park
Happy Labor Day.
Workers fought for this day of recognition via organizing and events such as this demonstration held in Washington Square Park on Labor Day in 1912. Signs visible here implore workers: “Organize!”
History of Labor Day in the United States:
In 1887, Oregon became the first state of the United States to make Labor Day an official public holiday. By 1894, thirty U.S. states were already officially celebrating Labor Day.[12] In that year, Congress passed a bill recognizing the first Monday of September as Labor Day and making it an official federal holiday. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill into law on June 28.[13][4]
The federal law, however, only made it a holiday for federal workers.
As late as the 1930s, unions were encouraging workers to strike to make sure they got the day off.[14] All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories have subsequently made Labor Day a statutory holiday.[15]
– Via Wikipedia
It looks like mostly women here in 1912. The likely reason was that March of 1911 was when the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire occurred a block from the park. Tragically, 146 workers died; 123 were women and girls.
Photo: NYC Parks Department