<P> Following the deaths of workers at the hands of United States Army and United States Marshals Service during the Pullman Strike of 1894 in Chicago , the United States Congress unanimously voted to approve legislation to make Labor Day a national holiday and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law six days after the end of the strike . Cleveland supported the creation of the national holiday in an attempt to shore up support among trade unions following the Pullman Strike . The date of May 1 ( an ancient European holiday known as May Day ) was an alternative date , celebrated then ( and now ) as International Workers ' Day , but President Cleveland was concerned that observance of Labor Day on May 1 would encourage Haymarket - style protests and would strengthen socialist and anarchist movements that , though distinct from one another , had rallied to commemorate the Haymarket Affair on International Workers ' Day . </P>
<P> Following the deaths of workers at the hands of United States Army and United States Marshals Service during the Pullman Strike of 1894 in Chicago , the United States Congress unanimously voted to approve legislation to make Labor Day a national holiday and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law six days after the end of the strike . Cleveland supported the creation of the national holiday in an attempt to shore up support among trade unions following the Pullman Strike . The date of May 1 ( an ancient European holiday known as May Day ) was an alternative date , celebrated then ( and now ) as International Workers ' Day , but President Cleveland was concerned that observance of Labor Day on May 1 would encourage Haymarket - style protests and would strengthen socialist and anarchist movements that , though distinct from one another , had rallied to commemorate the Haymarket Affair on International Workers ' Day . </P>
what president made labor day a national holiday
what president made labor day a national holiday
President Grover Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland