By Mary Torres, Special to MyRGV.com
Monday, Sept. 6, is the 127th anniversary of Labor Day is being celebrated as a National holiday. For most people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and a chance to say goodbye to summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to the achievements of America’s working men and women who have contributed to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
The First Labor Day, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, (http://www.dol.gov/laborday) was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day through municipal ordinances and state legislation. On June 28, 1884, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. This Labor Day, as during last year’s holiday, we are being reminded to avoid large gatherings, wear face coverings and maintain social distancing due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in our area. Please celebrate responsibly.
Good News – the Early Bird rate for the Texas State Genealogical Society’s Virtual 2021 annual Family History Conference, TxSGS Live! has been extended to midnight, September 6! The conference, “Connecting Generations across borders and time will be held virtually Oct. 1-2, and will feature ten presentations by some of the top speakers in genealogy on research techniques, records, DNA, and more. These lectures will be recorded and combined with 30 additional pre-recorded lectures from some well-known presenters from across Texas and the U.S. and will be accessible online through Dec. 31. For more information visithttps://www.txsgs.org/2021-conference/registration/.
Due to popular demand, the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society is also extending its regular registration rate of $150 for the 41st Annual State Hispanic and Genealogical & Historical Conference to Sept. 30! This in-person event, “1821-2021 200 Years of Discoveries, From Revolution to New Frontiers,” is scheduled for Oct. 14-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn, South Padre Island. The conference will feature 30 speakers from the U.S. and Mexico; 25 vendors, receptions, with tours and a banquet available for an additional fee. MyHeritage.com is now a conference sponsor and two of its speakers, Schelly Talalai Dardashtyi and Daniel Horowitz will be presenting virtually. Educators are eligible for a special rate of $100 for the full conference. Visit the Society’s website, www.rgvhgs.org, and its Facebook page for more information.
My Heritage.com is offering free access to all census records from Sept. 1–8! The Census & Voter Lists category on MyHeritage encompasses a vast repository of over 1.3 billion records, including census records from the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Scandinavia, and Canada as well as electoral rolls and other records from Australia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Armenia, Greece, and much more. These records offer valuable snapshots of the lives of people living in these locations throughout history, especially from the 19th century onward.
The Valley Byliners will host a “Call to Present” at 1:30 p.m., Sept. 11, at the Harlingen Public Library, 410 ’76 Drive. The event will feature local authors who will share their journey, offer writing and publishing tips, and showcase their books. Authors include, Patty York Raymond, Michael McGarry, Rosalinda Cruz, Ana A. Cavazos, Mark Esperanza, Ron Ramirez, Jose Palacios, Caroline Steele, and the youngest author, twelve years old, Selene Olguin. Masks are Recommended. Meetings are hybrid, in-person and virtual. Please join on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99678692109… Meeting ID: 996 7869 2109 Passcode: 322652. For more information contact Ana Cavazos at [email protected].
