Which U.S. labor organization established the first Monday in September as an annual Labor Day date in 1884?

The Central Labor Union established the first Monday in September as an annual Labor Day date in 1884.

The organization represented affiliated unions in the New York City area. After sponsoring the first parade in 1882, it formalized the holiday’s recurring date two years later. The choice helped distinguish the American observance from May 1 celebrations associated with international labor movements.

Different American states and municipalities adopted Labor Day before it became a federal holiday. Congress gave the date national status in 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed the law creating the federal observance.

A common mix-up is to credit the American Federation of Labor with choosing the date. The AFL became highly influential later, but the Central Labor Union made the original 1884 designation.