For many Americans, the first Monday of September marks the end of summer, the start of school, and a much-anticipated day away from the office. It’s a designated time of rest and relaxation, filled with weekend road trips, neighborhood barbecues, and countless shopping sales. Yet beyond these, Labor Day has a deeper significance and history, which when understood, can add a new dimension to our celebrations.

“Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country,” said Samuel Gompers, founder of the American Federation of Labor. “Labor Day … is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation.”