Presidents’ Day is misunderstood.
So many questions abound with the very mention of it. Is the day a federal holiday, and if so, why do we have to attend school on it? Which presidents does it celebrate? And why does it fall on that random Monday in February?
Our first president, George Washington, was born on Feb. 22, 1732, in Virginia. According to the National Archives and Records Administration, in 1879 Steven Wallace Dorsey, a senator from Arkansas, suggested that a federal holiday be made of Washington’s birthday. Since every holiday established at that time was a bank holiday, Washington’s Day was the first time that a civilian’s birthday became a holiday. It was previously a district workers’ holiday until it was extended federally in 1885.
“Congress wanted to create a uniform system of federal Monday holidays,” according to the NARA. The idea behind the creation of a three-day weekend was for families to have more time to spend with each other and at their various individual interests as well as less disruption for the workweek than if the holiday had fallen in the middle of the week.
The holiday fell on Washington’s actual birthday until 1971. Washington’s birthday celebration was then moved to the third Monday in February.
Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s sixteenth president, was born on Feb. 12, 1809 in Kentucky. The idea that he should be celebrated as well came from Robert McClory, a representative from Illinois. In 1968, McClory was the first who had the idea to rename Washington’s Day as Presidents’ Day, but the idea did not garner much support. According to the NARA, “McClory positioned the federal holiday on the third Monday in February — a date closer to Lincoln’s February 12 birthday, knowing the dual presidential birthday spotlight could be shared by Lincoln.”
“Presidents’ Day has had the effect of watering down Lincoln and Washington on their birthdays,” William Harris, professor emeritus of history, said.
The Captial City honored Lincoln, at least, directly this year.
“Before [Presidents’ Day], there were always small commemorations on each birthday. This year, we commemorated the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birthday with a great many activities throughout the land, including an all-day symposium at the North Carolina Museum of History. It was a gala event,” Harris said.
“The Lincoln Bicentennial: A Symposium” was held on Thursday, Feb. 12. According to the North Carolina Museum of History, the symposium explored the former president through seminars entitled “Lincoln’s Legacy,” “Lincoln’s Political Leadership: An Overview,” “Lincoln as a Military Commander” and “Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the End of Slavery.” The symposium was created by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History.
The North Carolina Museum of History also had three documents featuring Lincoln’s signature on display from Feb. 10 until Feb. 15, including two letters from Lincoln and a telegram from Secretary of War Simon Camerson to the North Carolina governor asking for troops for the Civil War.
Washington’s birthday is coming up this Sunday, but the museum does not have a similar event planned.
Elsewhere in the United States, there are many events occurring to celebrate Presidents’ Day. The National Archives in Washington D.C. is displaying the original Emancipation Proclamation signed by Lincoln, and Ford’s Theatre recently reopened to showcase literary and dramatic events dedicated to Lincoln.
Washington will be honored by having his Mount Vernon home open for tours, as well as special walking tours of the area and balls given in his honor.