HENRYETTA, Okla. — Throughout its downtown, everyone will tell you no one else in Oklahoma celebrates Labor Day like Henryetta, because nobody has worked hard throughout its industrial history like Henryetta.
“It grew (to) all kinds of ethnicities into this area,” Marcus Whitworth Sr. of Henryetta Historical Society said. “We have Italians, Polish people, all good people that came here to try to make a living for their family.”
Dating back to the late 19th century, coal mines, zinc smelting, and later, Anchor Glass were the sources of breadwinning from men, women, and even teens. Work conditions also brought long hours and almost no weekends.
“There was no OSHA. There was no ventilation,” Whitworth said. “Those men were just down there (in mines) and they couldn’t stand up. They were crouched down.”
It took a nationwide movement to change that from the bottom up and bring us the Labor Day we know today — and Henryetta’s long-running tradition.
“Our coal miners started with a union and then we have a glass plant that’s real strong with the union,” Henryetta Labor Day Committee chair Shannon Frair said. “So we want to celebrate the American worker and this is a great way to do it.”
Oklahoma Historical Society
“You see this parade. (The lineup is) like cheerleaders, local union, band, local union, local church and local union,” Oklahoma AFL-CIO president and former OKC Democratic state representative Forrest Bennett told 2 News. “It’s just a reminder that the labor unions are the community.”
The community includes welding inspector Warren Blake and his family enjoying the downtown Labor Day festivities.
“This is our favorite holiday right here,” Blake said. “This is the only time I don’t have to work, so I love it.”
Among other competitions (including hot dog eating), Oklahoma’s largest annual Labor Day celebration comes with kids events like frog catching and goldfish catching — made possible by folks taking a hard-earned day’s off.
“We’re built on labor, we’re built on faith, we’re built on family, and we’re built on community,” Whitworth said.
