History of President's Day

This year, President’s Day is on Monday, February 20th. Many lucky Americans receive the day off from work and school; students have the bonus of getting the entire week off. In all the excitement, however, many Americans forget the true meaning of President’s Day and how it came to be.

President’s Day is an American holiday celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. The holiday was an informal day of remembrance of George Washington from 1800 until 1885, when it was officially established by the United States government. Until the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983, Washington’s Birthday was the only federal bank holiday dedicated to a single person. To this day, the holiday is still referred to as “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. It became popularly known as President’s Day in 1971 when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed. This moved the holiday from February 22nd to the third Monday of the month.

President’s Day also celebrates all American presidents, not just Washington. The federal government does, however, give specific recognition to Washington and Abraham Lincoln. This makes sense especially since Lincoln’s birthday is approximated to be February 12th.

So, when you are enjoying your extra day off from work or school, remember that the holiday’s true purpose is to commemorate the American presidents and their contributions. It is a day that reminds of past presidents, our current president, and even the men and women that will lead our country in the future.