<P> Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor . "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, which organized the first parade in New York City . In 1887, Oregon was the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday . By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states in the United States officially celebrated Labor Day . </P> <P> Canada's Labour Day is also celebrated on the first Monday of September . More than 80 countries celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1--the ancient European holiday of May Day--and several countries have chosen their own dates for Labour Day . </P> <P> Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, different groups of trade unionists chose a variety of days on which to celebrate labor . In the United States, a September holiday called Labor Day was first proposed in the 1880s . An early history of the holiday dates the event's origins to a General Assembly of the Knights of Labor convened in New York City in September 1882 . In conjunction with this clandestine Knights assembly, a public parade of various labor organizations was held on September 5 under the auspices of the Central Labor Union (CLU) of New York . Secretary of the CLU Matthew Maguire is credited for first proposing that a national Labor Day holiday subsequently be held on the first Monday of each September in the aftermath of this successful public demonstration . </P> <P> An alternative thesis is maintained that Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor put forward the first proposal in May 1882, after witnessing the annual labour festival held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada . </P>

Where was the first labor day celebration held