Which organization launched the annual U.S. Labor Day telethon for muscular dystrophy in 1966?

The Muscular Dystrophy Association launched the annual U.S. Labor Day telethon for muscular dystrophy in 1966.

The event was hosted for many years by entertainer Jerry Lewis and became one of the most recognizable television fundraising campaigns associated with the holiday weekend. It raised money for research, clinical care, advocacy, and support for people affected by muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular diseases.

The telethon began in 1966 and was broadcast around Labor Day, when many Americans were watching television during the long weekend. Its format combined celebrity performances, personal stories, donation appeals, and live pledge updates.

The traditional telethon ended in 2010, after which the association changed its fundraising approach. This history is separate from Labor Day’s labor movement origins, but it explains why the holiday weekend became strongly associated with the MDA in American popular culture.