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A Holiday by Any Other Name is Still
Presidents' Day
Every third Monday in February the nation honors
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and his
cousin Teddy, the father-son duos of John and John Quincy Adams
and George and George W. Bush, Benjamin Harrison and his
grandpa William Henry, even Millard Fillmore and Warren Harding,
during a holiday commonly (though not officially) called
Presidents' Day.
The origins of the President's Day
observance are traced to an 1885 Act of Congress designating
Washington's Birthday as a federal holiday. President Chester
Arthur signed the bill into law, which became the first U.S.
holiday honoring an American citizen and leader.
In the years following the Civil War, many
Americans (living outside the old Confederacy) considered
President Abraham Lincoln as one of the nation's greatest
leaders and worthy of a holiday. Many state governments
recognized Feb. 12 - Lincoln's Birthday - as state holidays.
However, Congress never passed a bill making it a national
observance.
Congress attempted to make amends for this
century-long slight to our 16th President by passing
the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was signed into law by
President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 28, 1968. One provision of
the law changed the observance date for the Washington's
Birthday holiday from his Feb. 22 birth date to the third Monday
in February.
The intent of Congress was to honor both
Washington and Lincoln during February by creating a new holiday
named Presidents' Day. However, the proposal to
officially change the name from Washington's Birthday to
Presidents' Day died in a congressional committee. The
official event remains Washington's Birthday, while the common
name for the observance is Presidents' Day.
President Richard Nixon is often credited with
proclaiming Presidents' Day as a holiday honoring
all past presidents of the United States, but the source of this
statement remains undocumented. In his Executive Order 11582,
issued on Feb. 11, 1971, he upheld the existing holiday date
passed by Congress and name Washington's Birthday for future
federal observances.
The confusion over the name Presidents' Day
continues to present 2008 holiday observance. The official
National Archives Federal Holidays schedule continues to list
the event as Washington's Birthday, but with the following
disclaimer: "*This holiday is designated as Washington's
Birthday though other institutions such as state and local
governments and private businesses may use other names. It is
federal policy to always refer to holidays by the names
designated in the law."
President's Day is observed as a holiday by Palm
Beach County Government. The State of Florida does not
recognize the event as a holiday for state agencies. The
State of Virginia celebrates George Washington Day.
Alabama observes Washington and Jefferson Day. Several
states still honor Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
Today, Americans have the option of honoring
Washington, Lincoln, U.S. Grant, Herbert Hoover, or all of the
nation's former leaders on Presidents' Day.
Traditionally, the holiday is observed by schools and
communities through historical celebrations and presentations
honoring the achievements of our presidents.
The Palm Beach County Library System features 12
book titles in its collection about the
Presidents Day
holiday, as well as many biographical and historical works
written about our former presidents and the presidency.
Posted: 01/16/08 |
