Presidents' Day

The holiday commemorating US Presidents is celebrated on the third Monday in February.

The tradition began informally in the 1800s, with an annual day honoring George Washington on his birthday. Washington Day became a national federal holiday in 1879, signed into law by President Rutherford B. Hayes. At this time, Congress rejected the idea of a Presidents’ Day that would include Abraham Lincoln.

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed by Congress in 1968: this action moved Washington’s Birthday, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans’ Day to Monday.

The new ruling moved the holiday date midway between Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays, and thus, it became known as Presidents’ Day in the mid-1980s. The holiday currently remembers all US presidents, past and present.

Of course, business leaped at the chance for a new marketing opportunity. Today, Presidents’ Day sales events are widely advertised.

Ideally, the holiday would be an excellent time to review historical facts about American presidents and what they have contributed to our nation. This knowledge gives us power; if we learn about our past, we can prevent repeating prior mistakes and capitalize on the successes.

Which president do you know the most/least about? Do you have a favorite (or unfavorite) president?

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