Presidents’ Day? (Article 34)

What is Presidents’ Day?  Is it a time to reflect on the contributions of only one President (if so it would be President’s Day)?  Or, perhaps it is to honor two or more Presidents, or even all the men elected to the nation’s highest office. Or is it just another federal Monday holiday that provides most of us with a three day weekend?  For many Americans, the answer is likely to be “a Monday holiday.”

 But, that was not always the case.

 George Washington’s birth date, February 22, had been recognized as a special day in many places from the early 1800s.  The practice became wide-spread in communities and states throughout the United States upon the centennial of his birth in 1832; and continued unabated for nearly 150 years.  In 1885, it became a federal holiday, primarily offering a day off to government workers, but the rest of the country embraced the new law and even more “Washington’s Day” celebrations were held, which often resembled Fourth of July patriotic events. And, Washington had the day to himself.

 In many states, but certainly not all, Abraham Lincoln’s birth date of February 12 was also celebrated. Soon after Lincoln’s death in 1865, Illinois declared April 15th as a “Memorial Day” but the practice was replaced a few years later by recognizing his birthday and over the next few years, other states followed. Even if workers did not get a paid holiday, schools recognized the great American with special programs and lesson plans dedicated to Lincoln’s life story. For the next 100 years, Lincoln had February 12 all to himself.

 So our first and sixteenth Presidents, who most historians recognize as the two leaders who had the most impact on our developing nation, had their own special day.

 Until 1971!

 In 1970 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, with the support of the nation’s largest labor unions and major business interests, to create a pattern of three day weekends.  In the initial bill, sponsors considered designating the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Monday in February as “Washington’s Day”, but eventually decided on the third Monday (which always falls between the 15th and 21st) to approximate the real date of Washington’s birth, which was the 22nd.  Almost immediately a group of congressmen proposed that the “special day” be renamed as Washington-Lincoln Day, which gained substantial support. Unsurprisingly, the Illinois delegation worked hard for this change, but could never get enough votes for the amendment to pass. One reason for the failure was that the majority of each delegation from most Southern states, as well as several northern congressmen, voted against including Abraham Lincoln’s name in the holiday designation.  George Washington was highly regarded as a national hero throughout the country, however, that was not so for Abraham Lincoln. In 1970 the sentiments still ran deep in the old South against Lincoln and the Civil War, and the vote for the new February Monday holiday was proof.  Because Lincoln’s name did not even appear on the Presidential Electoral ballot in nine southern states in 1860 or in thirteen states in 1864, many Southerners did not consider him to have been “their” President. Therefore, in 1970, most of the congressmen from that region voted to not include Lincoln in the special day. It is interesting to note that a certain segment of the southern population still harbors those resentments today.

 So, if the new holiday would not be referred to as Washington-Lincoln Day, what would it be called? Since the original bill was not amended, the official Congressional records still referred to “Washington’s Birthday” and President Nixon signed the bill designating it as such.

 So officially, we should all refer to Washington’s Day, at least according to Congress.

 But, other “popular forces” had not spoken!

 Soon, these ‘popular forces” around the United States began a movement; which, in this case, the term “popular forces” refers to retail store owners and their shoppers! Merchants began to advertise “President’s Day Sales” knowing that their shoppers now had an extra day to visit the stores; and economists and politicians, noticed that retail sales began to boom in what had historically been a slow month.  Soon individual states began to issue proclamations calling it President’s Day and even designated other Presidents, including frequently Abraham Lincoln, in the honor.  Illinois, for example, resolved that it would be called Washington-Lincoln Day, but the phrase never really caught on with the public; even in the state where Lincoln began his political career and which is generally considered Lincoln’s home state.

 But, the official United States Congressional calendar still refers to the third Monday in February as Washington’s Birthday.

 Since he was a modest man when it came to personal recognition, I don’t think Abraham Lincoln would have spent one minute promoting the idea of a holiday in his honor. However, he revered the first President and the Lincoln family always participated in celebrations on the birthdate of George Washington.

So, while we all add to the February retail sales numbers and the national GDP over this long weekend, perhaps we can take a bit of time as a teaching moment. Let us be reminded that both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln gave so much of themselves to this country that they each deserve our recognition and appreciation. Even if for just one day.

 And, then mention that to a few people, especially youngsters.

 It is really important.

 Finally, contrary to what some dissatisfied Americans claim, the future MLK holiday, which would eventually be set for a Monday in January, had nothing to do with the 1971 Federal Holiday law which resulted in the disappearance of special days for Washington and Lincoln.  In fact, President Reagan signed the MLK holiday bill in 1983 as a stand-alone law, and it was not technically even part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. So, no one should blame the organizers of the MLK Day for the missing Washington’s Day or Lincoln’s Day. It just seems that the term Presidents’ Day, over time, simply became the preferable term for the holiday on the third Monday in February.

Contact the author at gadorris2@gmail.com