Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September, ushering in the start of a new school year for New York schools and a prelude to the fall season.

The three-day weekend dominated by retail sales and late-summer celebrations began as an opportunity to unionize, then shifted to a celebration for worker contributions to society.

"The holiday is rooted in the late 19th century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being," according to the U.S. Department of Labor website.

Here's what to know about the Labor Day holiday and how it started.

How did Labor Day celebrations start?

It is unclear who was responsible for introducing Labor Day as a holiday. The U.S. Department of Labor

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