President Grover Cleveland signed a law in 1894 that made it a national holiday. The National Constitution Center said the first Labor Day celebration focused on parades, and the holiday has become publicly perceived as the end of the summer season.

Observed on the first Monday of September, the federal holiday celebrates the contributions and achievements of American workers. The three-day weekend is also an occasion for family and friends to gather and celebrate the unofficial bookend of summer.

Labor Day is a celebration of the hard-won achievements of America's labor movement and a recognition of workers' contributions.