Tony Lacy, age 14, of Grand Forks, N.D., for his question:

WHEN WAS LABOR DAY FIRST CELEBRATED?

Labor Day is a legal holiday that is celebrated on the first Monday of September in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone and the Virgin Islands. The celebration of Labor Day, in honor of the working class, was initiated in 1882 by the Knights of Labor, a labor organization that held a large parade in New York City.

In 1884 the Knights of Labor held another parade, this one on the first Monday of September and passed a resolution to hold all future parades on that day. They also decided to designate the day as Labor Day.

Subsequently workers of other organizations throughout the country began to agitate for state legislatures to declare the day a legal holiday.

In March 1887, the first law to that effect was passed in Colorado, followed by New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

In 1894, the U.S. Congress made the day a legal holiday. Labor Day is now celebrated with parades and meetings at which addresses are made by prominent labor leaders and political figures. It also offers a chance to enjoy an end of summer long weekend of rest and recreation.