History at Work: Labor Day Special episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 27, 2026 · 7 MIN

History at Work: Labor Day Special

from What We're Drinking with Dan Dunn · host Dan Dunn

In this special stand-alone edition of History at Work and in the Making, Dan digs into the surprisingly rowdy origins of America’s end-of-summer holiday, Labor Day, from brutal 19th-century working conditions and the disputed father of Labor Day to the first parade in 1882, where thousands of workers celebrated afterward with lager kegs mounted “in every conceivable place.” Plus: the Pullman Strike, Grover Cleveland’s suspiciously well-timed peace offering to organized labor, and how a holiday born from the fight for workers’ rights became synonymous with barbecues, cold beer, long weekends, and inexplicably cheap mattresses. Presented by Warbringer Mesquite Smoked Southwest Bourbon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 27, 2026

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A quick one in which Dan digs into the surprisingly rowdy origins of Labor Day, from the America’s first Labor Day parade to the thousands of workers who celebrated afterward with plenty of lager beer. Plus, how a hard-fought tribute to American workers became a three-day weekend filled with barbecues, cold drinks, and inexplicably cheap mattresses.

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History at Work: Labor Day Special

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