by Jim Kinkade

Created on: February 13, 2010

Each year, American's celebrate Presidents' Day on the third Monday of February. Although many people get the day off as one of the numerous federal holidays, there is no such holiday as Presidents' Day. The official federal holiday is still Washington's Birthday. Although officially Washington's Birthday, most modern calendars say Presidents' Day, obscuring the significance of our most important Founding Father. 

Washington's Birthday Origins
George Washington was born on February 22nd, 1732 (when Washington was born, the date was actually February 11th, 1731 according to the Julian calendar in use at the time). George Washington is arguably the greatest American who ever lived. Without his courage and integrity, it is doubtful the country would have survived its birth. Fittingly, he was the first American honored with a federal holiday, which originally fell on his birthday, regardless of what day it was.

Washington's Birthday was established as a holiday in 1880 for the District of Columbia, and expanded to all federal offices a few years later. In 1971, the holiday was changed to fall on the third Monday of the month according to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968. Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day were also affected by the act, adopted for the sole purpose of providing federal employees more three-day weekends.

Transformation to Presidents' Day
Since 1971, the significance of Washington's legacy has diminished considerably. The holiday over time morphed from being a celebration of Washington, to a combination of Washington and Lincoln's birthday, which falls on the 12th. In 1951 a Presidents' Day committee was formed to honor all presidents, to fall on inauguration day, March 4. That holiday was never adopted primarily because of the proximity of Washington's Birthday and Lincoln's Birthday, which was officially recognized by several states, but not nationally.

By the 1980s, advertisers started using Presidents' Day to identify the holiday and used it primarily as an excuse to have sales, primarily car sales. Today, except for the Postal Service and other federal employees, the holiday mostly goes uncelebrated by most businesses in the U.S.

Falling to Obscurity
George Washington was the commander in chief of the Revolutionary army, which defeated the English and secured our nation's independence. He served as the President of the Second Continental Congress and his presence ensured participation by some of the more recalcitrant participants. In 1789, he was elected as the first President of the United States and served with such dignity aplomb that most of the traditions he established last unto this day. George Washington is truly a great man and is rightly regarded as the "Father of our country".

Regardless of whether the holiday is called Presidents' Day, or Washington's Birthday, it is a great time to remember this great man. The least we can do to honor him and his ideals, is set out our flags, take a moment, and reflect on his contributions and personal sacrifice.

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