- Union Square was a gathering spot for industrial worker labor rallies in the 1800s. In the 1930s, pro-Communists delivered speeches to crowds. More recently, Iraq War protests and 9/11 vigils have both taken place in Union Square.
- Union Square was a part of the first Labor Day celebration. On September 5, 1882, approximately 10,000 workers paraded up Broadway and past Union Square. This event let to President Grover Cleveland signing legislation proclaiming Labor Day a national holiday on June 28, 1894.
- Union Square is the home to several statues of historical figures including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the Marquis de Lafayette and Mahatma Gandhi. The George Washington statue was the first bronze American equestrian sculpture erected in New York.
Political Gatherings
Labor Day
Historical Statues
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