MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022, SO WHO ARE YOU HONORING TODAY?

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022, SO WHO ARE YOU HONORING TODAY?

As I was researching this blog I found some interesting (at least to me) things regarding “Presidents’ Day”

Most federal holidays are clear-cut. On the Fourth of July, for example, Americans celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. On the other hand, Presidents’ Day is a slightly strange holiday for three main reasons:

*There is no universal agreement on the actual name of the holiday.

* There is no universal agreement on which presidents are being honored.

* There is no agreement on something as simple as whether there is an apostrophe in “presidents.”

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Okay - Let’s look at the apostrophe:

President’s Day or Presidents’ Day

The first would seem to indicate only one President (President’s)  the second is plural “Presidents’”.  So who “owns” the day?  The first seems to imply the current President has the day- and the second is that all former (and the current) Presidents are to be honored on the day.

Historically Washington’s Birthday was on February 22nd and most states honored that.

“In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was enacted to “provide for uniform annual observances” of Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. Additionally, the Monday Holiday Law established Columbus Day to be celebrated on the second Monday in October. In 1975, Veterans Day celebrations were returned to November 11 by Congress.”

(I remember a veteran who insisted that “Decoration Day” (now “Memorial Day”) should always be May 30th - and that by making this holiday into a three-day weekend would cause it to be less observation and remembrance of those that fought - especially those that fought in the Civil War.  “Decoration Day” was a day when widows and families decorated graves of Civil War veterans.  To him, Monday holidays negated the original holiday meaning)

As such it is a Federal Holiday.  All federal employees have the day off (unless national services would be neglected - such as National Parks).  States can observe this day - or not observe this day.

The Washington Post notes this:

“Some states do in fact honor both Washington, who was born Feb. 22, and Abraham Lincoln, who was born Feb. 12. But other states honor Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but not Lincoln, on this holiday, and some states honor all the presidents. Then there are a handful of states, including Illinois, that have declared Lincoln’s birthday a state holiday — whatever day of the week Feb. 12 happens to fall — while also marking the federal holiday. In Virginia, Washington’s home state, the holiday is called George Washington’s Day. In Alabama, it is called “Washington and Jefferson Day” (although Jefferson was born on April 13).

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In my current state, the holiday on the books is “Washington’s Birthday”.  Arkansas observes “President’s Day” as well as “Daisy Gatson Bates” day on that day.  (Daisy Gatson Bates was a Black Educator in Arkansas). (Arkansas also observes Martin Luther King day AND Robert E. Lee’s Birthday on the same day in January)

Illinois, with the state slogan “The Land of Lincoln”, still has Lincoln’s Birthday as a state holiday.

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It seems that many states kept the name of “Washington’s Birthday” as a state holiday and of course the Federal Holiday of President’s Day for Federal Employees.

Do you know what day you are observing today?  

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Let’s continue with a kind of a poll.  

On Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, there are four Presidents:  Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lincoln.  

SO - the poll …

If you were to update Mount Rushmore, 

1. Would you keep it the same

2. Add a fifth figure to the monument (or more)

3. Delete one (or more) of the figures and add a new one

Let’s assume that the rock on the mountain is like modeling clay and can be easily changed.

What would you do?  Why would you do it?

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You might take into consideration that Washington and Jefferson were slave holders.  How about Teddy Roosevelt might have been eclipsed by his cousin, Franklin Roosevelt because of FDR and the depression and World War II.  Eisenhowser for his leadership in World War II.  Kennedy for putting a man on the moon.  

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So, enjoy Presidents’ Day (or Washington’s Birthday - or both)!!!

Karen

Monday, February 21, 2022