It’s Labor Day—the end of summer, the beginning of the school year (though now schools usually begin earlier), the time when the pennant races get interesting (will the Mets collapse yet again?), and the traditional kick-off for the presidential races (as you may have noticed, those now begin earlier as well). But, it may occur to you as you grill in your backyard or sit in traffic on the way back from the beach, why “Labor Day”?

Glad you asked. Even if most celebrants aren’t thinking much about the meaning of the holiday they’re enjoying, the holidays a nation celebrates tell you a lot about its history, its beliefs, even its way of life. So if you want to take a minute to reflect on the meaning of Labor Day, visit the American Calendar section of the excellent What So Proudly We Hail website, assembled by the late Amy Kass along with Leon Kass and Diana Schaub. There you will find collected documents and readings about each of the American holidays, along with a thoughtful commentary to guide you through them.