FReeper Canteen ~ Happy Labor Day 2026 ~ 07 September 2026

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

The FReeper Canteen Presents...

Happy Labor Day!

September 7, 2026

H I S T O R Y

Labor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general "last fling of summer" festival. It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. In 1884, the Knights held a large parade in New York City celebrating the working class. The parade was held on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold all future parades on the same day, designated by them as Labor Day. The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and Communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with Communism. In the late 1880's, labor organizations began to lobby various state legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official state holiday. The first states to declare it a state holiday in, 1887, were Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Then in 1894, Congress passed a law recognizing Labor Day as an official national holiday. Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, and in other industrialized nations. While it is a general holiday in the United States, its roots in the working class remain clearer in European countries.

For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. Membership in labor unions in the United States reached an all-time high in the 1950s when about 40 percent of the work force belonged to unions. Today, union membership is less than 12 percent of the working population and closing in on just 11 percent. Labor Day now carries less significance as a celebration of working people and more as the end of summer. Schools, government offices and businesses are closed on Labor Day so people can get in one last trip to the beach or have one last cookout before the weather starts to turn colder.

T O D A Y

So what about you?

How are you celebrating Labor Day?

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; laborday; military; troopsupport

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Happy Labor Day 2026 ~

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of
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and the family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

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The FR Canteen is Free Republic's longest running daily thread
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We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

NOTE: CANTEEN MUSIC
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[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu, and Happy Labor Day. Taking tomorrow off?

How’s your rain doing? We are drizzling just a bit.

[Fiji Hill]

Where do You Work-a, John?--Les Stevens & His Orchestra (1926)

[Fiji Hill]

The Levee Song; I've Been Working on the Railroad--The Shannon Quartet (1923)

[decal]

“How are you celebrating Labor Day?”

By going to work, like I have most years, which is all right, traffic doesn’t stink so much.

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.
Taking off from what? LOL I doubt I’ll do any yard work since it’s not cooling off any time soon.

No rain today. Hot and sunny again.
I noticed it’s been raining lightly up there the past several hours. We could sure use that here.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Happy Labor Day, Fiji, and thanks for the “labor” songs.

[Albion Wilde]

Left a good job in the city
Workin' for the man every night and day....

Proud Mary -- Ike and Tina Turner 1971

[Albion Wilde]

James Carter & the Prisoners - Po Lazarus

[Albion Wilde]

“9 to 5” by Dolly Parton

[Albion Wilde]

She Works Hard for the Money by Donna Summer

[Albion Wilde]

Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie

[dfwgator]

XTC - Earn Enough For Us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKoiCKaMU6A

[decal]

The Foggy Mountain Boys doing “John Henry”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAKV8iAsnUU&list=RDvAKV8iAsnUU&start_radio=1

[lightman]

I was revisiting some family history sites and documents last night and re-realizing that one of my Great Grandfathers was listed as “works in mine” In the 1870 census of the Pennsylvania coal country—when he was just 15 years old.

Makes me thankful to be alive!

[Albion Wilde]

Whistle while you work (original 1937)

[luvie]

Labor?? Who labors?? Not me!
Happy Labor Day!