Rep. Norcross Introduces Bill to Designate Peter J. McGuire Memorial and Gravesite a National Historic Landmark

PENNSAUKEN, NJ. - Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) was honored with the Southern New Jersey Council Lifetime Labor Achievement Award, joined labor leaders at the Southern New Jersey Central Labor Council-AFL-CIO Labor Day Observance and Scholarship Breakfast, and announced legislation to designate Peter J. McGuire's memorial and gravesite in Pennsauken as a National Historic Landmark.

Known as the 'Father of Labor Day,'Peter J. McGuire lived in Camden and was the founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and the first Secretary of the American Federation of Labor. He organized meaningful strikes that led to increased wages for workers and the establishment of the 8-hour workday. In 1882, he called for a "festive parade through the streets of [New York] city" on the first Monday of September, resulting in the nation's first Labor Day celebration.

"Today, I am humbled to receive the Southern New Jersey Council Lifetime Labor Achievement Award. It means a lot, but it's also a reminder that the fight for working people is far from finished. Labor Day is about the men and women who built this country. More than a century ago, South Jersey's own, Peter J. McGuire, made sure workers got the recognition they deserved by creating this holiday," said Congressman Donald Norcross, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. "Peter J. McGuire dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of workers and revolutionized the labor movement. I am proud to carry that torch forward and today I'm introducing legislation to honor his legacy by designating his memorial and gravesite in Pennsauken as a National Historic Landmark."

In 2019, McGuire's memorial and gravesite officially became recognized as part of the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the United States historic buildings, districts, sites, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. It was established as part of the National Historical Preservation Act of 1966 and is overseen by the U.S. National Park Service.

The Peter J. McGuire Labor Day Landmark Act, introduced by Rep. Norcross, will designate McGuire's Memorial and Gravesite in Pennsauken, New Jersey, as a National Historic Landmark.

For bill text, click here.

###