Washington’s Birthday
Originally implemented by an Act of Congress in 1879 for government offices in Washington DC and expanded in 1855 to include all federal offices, the federal holiday honoring, George Washington’s Birthday was started. The holiday was originally celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, February 22.
In 1951 the first attempt was made to create a generic Presidents Day with the forming of the “President’s Day National Committee”. The purpose was not to honor one President in particular but rather the office of the Presidency. March 4th, the original inauguration day, was first considered to be called Presidents Day. However, it was stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
An early draft of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act would have renamed the holiday “President’s Day” to honor both Washington and Lincoln, but the proposal failed in committee. The bill was voted on and signed into law in June of 1968 and kept as Washington’s Birthday.
The federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act on January 1, 1971.
The term “President’s Day” began its public appearance by the mid-1980’s.
Washington’s 275th birthday was celebrated by the nation in 2007.
Since 1862 the United States Senate has read George Washington’s Farewell Address on his birthday.
