In New York City, on the first Monday in September 1884, the Knights of Labor (an early labor organization) held a large parade to celebrate working people. Later that decade, labor organizations around the country began to lobby various state legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official holiday. In 1887, the first states to declare it a state holiday were Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. In 1894, Congress established Labor Day as a national holiday.
This organization has a special place in my heart.
The first MDA Labor Day Telethon was broadcast in 1966 by just one station in New York City. It was the first televised fund-raising event of its kind to raise more than $1 million.
*Johnny Carson helped answer phones in 1969, the first Telethon to raise over $2 million.
*Some of the comedians who have appeared on the Telethon are Steve Allen, Woody Allen, Louie Anderson, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Erma Bombeck, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Charlie Callas, Drew Carey, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, Norm Crosby, Billy Crystal, Rodney Dangerfield, Jeff Foxworthy, Gallagher, Jackie Gleason, Whoopi Goldberg, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Harvey Korman, Rich Little, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Dick Martin, Jackie Mason, Eddie Murphy, Bob Newhart, Rosie O'Donnell, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Roseanne, Rita Rudner, Soupy Sales, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Rip Taylor, Danny Thomas, Robin Williams and Henny Youngman, to name a few.
*Jerry Lewis has been MDA’s number-one volunteer for more than 50 years. Despite battling debilitating pulmonary fibrosis, severe back pain and a heart attack in recent years, the MDA National Chairman has never missed a Telethon.
*Jerry Lewis receives no pay for his tireless year-round work for MDA.
Enjoy your Labor Day, by relaxing. Take in the last of the summer vacation, and spend it with those you love.
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