June 19th is right around the corner, which means it will be Father’s day soon. The annual and global celebration, is a time when we all find ways to say thank you to our fathers. But just how did this holiday begin or when? The following facts about the origin and history of father’s day are quite interesting and educational.
When It All Began
Although Father’s Day is celebrated in most parts of the world, the annual tradition was actually started in the United States in the early twentieth century. While many other countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June, numerous others countries observe it on different days. Interestingly enough though, Mother’s Day was observed many years before Father’s Day was. It was in the year 1914 when Mother’s day became an official national holiday. However, compared to Mother’s Day, Father’s Day took much longer before it was officially declared a national holiday. In fact, it wasn’t until 1972 that Father’s Day became an official national holiday.
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Different Versions
There are several versions as to how or what led to the origin of the first celebration of fatherhood. What we do know though, is that Father’s Day got its inspiration from Mother’s day. Although celebrated many years before, Mother’s Day first became official in 1908 and then in 1914, when then president Woodrow Wilson, signed it into law.
Some years before that, a tragedy occurred where over 350 men died in a mining disaster in West Virginia. After this tragedy, Grace Golden Clayton organized an event in order to honor all of the fathers who were lost in the disaster. For various years, some states began to watch and celebrate the day of observance. However, it wasn’t until the year 1910, that the first Father’s Day was officially celebrated by Washington State.
The Official Date
Years passed and the day of fatherhood was still not officially observed nationwide. In 1924, then President Calvin Coolidge, publicly supported the holiday. Although President Coolidge pressed the state governments to observe the day, nothing was ever finalized or done to make it official. It wasn’t until many years later when President Lyndon B. Johnson finally proclaimed Father’s Day a national holiday in 1966. Be that as it may, Father’s Day actually and finally became an official federal holiday in 1972, after President Nixon signed a proclamation.
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The Father’s Day Spelling
Another interesting fact about Father’s Day actually comes from the spelling. Many people often wonder why the spelling contains an apostrophe before the ‘s.’ There are various answers to that question. For one, Mother’s Day had already set a precedent as far as the spelling went. Secondly, by adding an apostrophe to the word Fathers, it added “individual” and singular status to the word and thus, the holiday. This way, the word Father’s Day, ended up belonging to each individual father.
Granted that Father’s Day took a lot longer to be officially observed than Mother’s Day did. However, it is finally being observed and celebrated world wide. The opportunity is here, for everyone all over the world, to show some love towards their fathers. Be sure that on this Father’s Day, you show your appreciation to your dad.
