President’s Day is celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. It’s a day to remember all the presidents in American history — today’s the day to honor them for their work in making America the great country it is today.
After the death of George Washington in 1799, his birthday was unofficially celebrated as a day of remembrance called Washington Day. Throughout the 1800s, people used this day to honor our first president and the legacy he left. In 1832, a resolution permitted the internment of George Washington’s body in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. The Washington Monument was erected in 1848.
It wasn’t until the 1870s that Steven Wallace Dorsey proposed that Washington’s birthday should become a national federal holiday — President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law, and it joined the four existing bank holidays that had been previously approved.
Because of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and since his birthday was on February 12, very near Washington’s birthday, it was proposed that Washington Day should become President’s Day to celebrate both men — but the idea was rejected by Congress.
In the late 1960s Senator Robert McClory of Illinois concocted a plan to move key bank holidays to Mondays to increase the number of of three-day weekends for workers. His plan became known as the Uniform Monday’s Act. The idea was that it would increase productivity and decrease employee absenteeism. Of course, the labor unions agreed with the idea.
In 1971, Ricard M. Nixon signed the executive order to pass the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which shifted Washington’s Birthday, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans’ Day to Monday. The date of “Washington Day” landed in the middle of Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays, so it became known President’s Day. Since then, President’s Day has become a common term, honoring all presidents.
Since it’s now President’s Day and not Washington’s Birthday….
There are 3 universities named after George Washington.
There are 5 national parks named after Roosevelt.
President William Henry Harrison passed away 32 days after becoming president.
President James Madison was only 5 ft., 4 in. tall, making him the shortest president ever.
President Teddy Roosevelt took office at the age of 42 — making him the youngest to hold that office.
Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, which was the 40th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of Independence.
George Washington was the only president to be unanimously elected by all of the state representatives.
Out country was founded on the idea that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is meant for all people. Today’s a good day to decide that it’s up to all of us to make sure it happens.
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