Presidents' Day 2023 Date, History And Significance: Everything to Know About The Day That Honours All Those Who Served As Presidents Of The United States
On this day, traditional food associated with the holiday are prepared, which comprises mainly cherry pie. There are several community celebrations displaying a lengthy heritage of the US presidents. Ever since 1862, there has been a tradition in the United States Senate that George Washington's Farewell Address is read on his birthday.
Presidents' Day in the United States of America is celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. In 2023, Presidents' Day will be celebrated on February 20. The day is also known as Washington's Birthday at the federal government level and is a holiday in the US Presidents' Day holds great significance in the history of the country as it honours all those who served as presidents of the United States. Since 1879, the day has been the federal holiday honouring Founding Father George Washington, the first US President who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War.
Presidents' Day History
According to history, the first attempt to create a Presidents' Day occurred in 1951 when the ‘President's Day National Committee’ was formed by Harold Stonebridge Fischer of Compton, California. He later became its National Executive Director for the next two decades. At first, it was thought that March 4, the original inauguration day, should be deemed Presidents Day, but the bill recognizing March 4 stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which had authority over federal holidays. However, by the mid-1980s, the term "Presidents' Day" began its public appearance.
Until 1970, Washington's Birthday was celebrated on February 22 from 1879. In order to give federal employees a three-day weekend, in 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved it to the third Monday in February, which can occur from February 15 to the 21st. The day soon became known as President’s Day. On this day, people of the US remember all the presidents of the country and also honour Abraham Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays together.
Presidents' Day Significance
On this day, traditional food associated with the holiday are prepared which comprises mainly cherry pie. There are several community celebrations displaying a lengthy heritage of the US presidents. Ever since 1862, there has been a tradition in the United States Senate that George Washington's Farewell Address is read on his birthday.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2023 10:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).