Presidents' Day was initially known as Washington's Birthday, and was
implemented by Congress in 1880. It was the first federal holiday to honor an
American citizen. It is still legally known as Washington's Birthday, but since
there were two prominent president's birthdays in February, President Abraham
Lincoln's birthday was included in this holiday. In 1971, the date of the
federal holiday was changed from Washington's true date of birth, to the third
Monday in February, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed. Today, as
Presidents' Day, we celebrate and honor the lives and accomplishments of all
United States presidents who have served our country.
President George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, and became the first
president of the United States of America. Named the “Father of Our Country”, he
assumed a major role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, declaring the
American colonies to be free and independent states. A veteran of the American
Revolution himself, he led colonists to freedom, as their Commander in Chief of
the Continental Army. He remained president from 1789 to 1797, and resided at
Mount Vernon, in Virginia, along the Potomac River.
Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809, was also honored with this special
holiday, along with President Washington initially. He was a self-taught lawyer
and legislator from Illinois, who was a strong opponent of slavery. He became
our sixteenth president in 1861, and served his term through the struggles of
Civil War. He was a shrewd military strategist, and was credited with the
Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing all slaves, and paving the way for
eventual abolition of slavery. The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous
speeches in American history, announcing American dedication to the principles
of equal rights, liberty, nationalism, and democracy. In 1865, President Lincoln
was shot, making him a martyr to the cause of liberty and Union. His death came
six days after the surrender of Confederate General Lee.
We have many presidents to honor and celebrate on Presidents' Day, all of which
have made major contributions to our liberties and freedoms which we should
respect today. These are only two of the presidents for which this holiday was
founded. The United States of America has now had over forty presidents, whose
birthdays do not fall in February, but who also should be honored on this
President's Day for their contributions to our United States of America.
