Labor Days Past in Alabama

The creation of a Labor Day to honor workers in America was first promoted by labor unions in the 1880's. In 1887 with support of President Grover Cleveland an official holiday was established on the first Monday in September. You can read more about that history here. The Encyclopedia of Alabama has a long article on organized labor in the state. Below are some items related to past Labor Days in Alabama. 

This article describes the Arts & Crafts Show and other activities planned for a "very special Labor Day" in 1978.

Birmingham News 20 August 1978

Source: Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections







This scene from Birmingham's Labor Day parade appeared in a section of photographs in the Birmingham Age-Herald on October 8, 1916. 

Source: Alabama Department of Archives & History Digital Collections 





Here's another photo from that 1916 Birmingham Labor Day parade.

Source: Alabama Department of Archives & History Digital Collections

A Labor Day celebration by Textile Workers Union in Boylston, Alabama, sometime in the 1940's. The town is located between Montgomery and the Tallapoosa River.

Source: Alabama Department of Archives & History Digital Collections

West Boylston Textile Mill around 1940

Source: Alabama Department of Archives & History Digital Collections 

This item appeared in the Mobile Press-Register on September 5, 1956:

"A new record for Labor Day weekends was set at Bankhead Tunnel this year with a total of 57,345 cars passing through the underground structure during the four days."