By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

Pennsauken Township has the distinction of being the final resting place of Peter J. McGuire, founder of the modern labor movement and the “Father of Labor Day.” His grave site, as well as the prominent memorial in his honor, can be found in Arlington Cemetery on Cove Rd. And on the Friday before Labor Day, members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, The Southern New Jersey Central Labor Council-AFL-CIO, as well as prominent government officials, gather at McGuire’s memorial to recognize his accomplishments, as well as highlight the positive impact of working men and women and organized labor has on society.

“We are Pennsauken Proud that we have this memorial here of Peter J. McGuire and his life’s work,” said Pennsauken Mayor Nicole Roberts. “What he was able to do benefits the American workforce to this day.”

“Peter J. McGuire is known as the ‘Father of Labor Day’ and is buried here in our town, and for over 100 years, this Labor Day celebration has happened right here in Pennsauken. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of,” added Deputy Mayor Jessica Rafeh.

Over the years, the Pennsauken-Merchantville Area Chamber of Commerce has become vested in promoting the significance of Peter J. McGuire and his connection to Pennsauken. Through the organization’s efforts and working alongside labor leaders and government representatives, both McGuire’s final resting place and memorial have been added to both the New Jersey State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of our country’s historic buildings, districts, sites, structures and objects worthy of preservation. PMAC also enlisted local businesses to help power wash the memorial, improve landscaping, and construct a “welcome wall” at Arlington.

“We have a monument right here in Pennsauken recognizing a national holiday,” explained Tim Ellis, PMAC chairperson. “It’s not in Washington D.C.; it’s right here in our back yard. That’s pretty special.”

In the 2012 article for All Around Pennsauken, “The Father of Labor Day And His Pennsauken Monument,” local historian Robert Fisher-Hughes wrote about the major impact McGuire made on the working world.

“In his career, he founded one of the most powerful unions in America, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners; led the fight for the eight hour workday; and was a founding officer of the American Federation of Labor,” wrote Fisher-Hughes. “McGuire’s most famous achievement, however, remains an idea he proposed in May 1882, at the New York Central Labor Union, for a day to be set aside to celebrate the American worker and to celebrate the achievements of the labor movement. In 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed the law declaring Labor Day as a national holiday, 30 states had already adopted the holiday themselves.”

Upon McGuire’s passing in 1906, local labor groups and dignitaries began gathering at his gravesite on Labor Day for wreath laying ceremonies. In August of 1952, the large monument located in the center of Arlington Cemetery was officially dedicated. Dignitaries in attendance included the President of the New Jersey Federation of Labor; the mayors of Camden and Pennsauken; General President Hutcheson of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners; the President of the A.F. of L., William Green; the secretary and treasurer of the A.F. of L., George Meany; and the U.S. Secretary of Labor, Maurice Tobin. Today, the ceremony has been moved to the Friday before Labor Day, so that working men and women can enjoy their long weekend; and recent participants include U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross; New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; and members of Pennsauken Township Committee.

“The wreath laying at the Peter J. McGuire Memorial is a special ceremony and an integral part of Pennsauken’s history,” said Mayor Roberts. “We hope that sometime during the Labor Day weekend, our community takes a moment to stop by the memorial and appreciate what Peter J. McGuire has done for this country.”