GREENSBORO, N.C. — Mother's Day has been a national holiday since 1914, but Father's Day didn't become official nationally until 1972. How did we get Father's Day?
It all started in Spokane, Washington in 1910. Sonora Smart Dodd was one of six siblings raised by a single father, a Civil War veteran. Originally she proposed celebrating Father's Day on her Dad's birthday on June 5. She and her pastor finally settled on the third Sunday of the month.
In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge urged states to observe the holiday. It took until 1972 for it to be official. President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father's Day a national holiday.
WHAT DOES DAD GET?
The National Retail Federation says 58% of shoppers planning to purchase a greeting card for Dad, followed by clothing (54%), a special outing (52%), gift cards (48%) and personal care items (31%).
Mother's Day History
According to the Library of Congress and other sources, Anna Jarvis is credited with the campaign that led to a nationally celebrated Mother’s Day. Jarvis's mother was known for organizing women's groups to promote health and friendship.
In the wake of her mother's death in 1905, Jarvis wanted to set aside a day to honor the sacrifices of mothers for their children. In May 1908, she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia, according to history.com. Since then, the church has been dubbed "The International Mother's Day Shrine."
As the annual celebration gained traction, West Virginia passed a law designating the holiday in 1910 and other states followed suit. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday to be observed on the second Sunday in May.
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