Courtesy of WalletHub…

Labor Day in the 21st century is all about beaches, BBQs, ballgames and buying things. Although celebrations were limited during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans can observe the holiday unrestricted this year thanks to the success of vaccines. For example, 53% of Americans plan to get out of town for Labor Day weekend. More than 150 million will enjoy a cookout. And thousands will pack college football stadiums.

Labor Day hasn’t always been this relaxing, though. The holiday’s roots can be traced back to the streets of 1880s New York City, where rival union leaders joined forces to protest the unfair labor practices that plagued industry at the time.

This is not meant to take the wind from your sails as you enjoy one last dip in the summer sun. Rather, these Labor Day facts may help you cherish the holiday even more. Its place on the calendar is uniquely American – most other countries celebrate labor in May. And there’s ample reason for celebration, considering the industrial fatality rate has fallen by roughly 79% since the early 1900s.

So WalletHub gathered the most entertaining, educational Labor Day facts we could find to create this infographic. You can also check out the Ask the Experts section that follows for a panel discussion on the many facets of Labor Day.