Cleveland Public Library Highlights John Patterson Green's Role in Establishing Labor Day
The Cleveland Public Library is highlighting the historical contributions of John Patterson Green, a Cleveland politician and attorney, in the establishment of Labor Day. Green, often referred to as the 'Father of Labor Day,' introduced a bill in early 1890 to make Labor Day a statewide holiday in Ohio, which became law on April 28, 1890. This initiative preceded the holiday's national recognition in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland. Green's career was marked by his advocacy for workers' rights, including opposing contract labor systems in state prisons, fighting for veteran benefits, and advocating for better wages for judges. He also supported legislation to close barber shops on Sundays and to keep the World's Fair closed on Sundays, emphasizing the importance of rest and education for workers. Born in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1845, Green moved to Cleveland in 1857 and became the first elected Black Republican Justice of the Peace in 1873, later serving in the Ohio House of Representatives and bec... 
