The Presidents day was originally established in 1885 in recognition of the first President and was traditionally observed on February 22nd
Monday, February 19, 2018 – George Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day)
President’s Day is a holiday in the United States. The event is celebrated every year on the third Monday in February in honor of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The federal government still officially refers to the day as ‘Washington’s Birthday.’
The day was initially established in 1885 in recognition of the first President and was traditionally observed on February 22, which happens to be George Washington’s actual date of birth. However, as a part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create three-day weekends for the country’s workers, the day was moved to the third Monday in February and came to be popularly called Presidents’ Day. It honors all the Presidents of the US – past, and present – and many states in the country still have special holidays which honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and other notable figures.
Washington’s birthday
The origin of Presidents’ Day can be traced back to 1880. One of the most respected figures in US history, George Washington died on December 14, 1799, and his birthday in 1800 became a day of remembrance. However, in the late 1870s, the day began to be observed as a federal holiday. Arkansas Senator Steven Wallace Dorsey first proposed the measure to turn the day into a federal holiday, and in 1879 was signed into law by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Initially, the holiday was only observed in the District of Colombia, but by 1885 it was expanded to the entire United States.
How is the day celebrated in the United States?
Presidents’ Day is essential in the country, and every year millions of workers and schoolchildren around the country get a day off. Some patriotic and historical groups organize celebrations, reenactments and other exciting events on this day. In several states during the days preceding the Presidents’ Day, children are taught about the achievements that have been made by the various Presidents of the country; however, the focus is mainly on the two leading figures – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. (Lincoln’s birthday is February 12). On this day, public ceremonies are also held in Washington DC and across the entire country.
There are several places where people can visit on Presidents Day to get a glimpse of the two great leaders born in the same month. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument in VA holds celebrations on both Presidents’ Day and the actual birthday of the first President. Also, George Washington’s DC area home, Mount Vernon, is a great place to visit.
The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Indiana celebrates Lincoln Day every year on a Sunday closest to February 12. Special birthday programs are also held at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Illinois.
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