President’s Day history
Image of the Lincoln Monument from Flickr.
Most Americans celebrate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and George Washington (Feb. 22) on the third Monday in February. But it hasn’t always been that way — and in some states, it still isn’t. Just as some states have different laws governing short term loans for bad credit, some follow their own rules about Presidents Day.
1. Washington’s Birthday
The official name of the federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in February is Washington’s Birthday. According to Wikipedia, “A draft of the Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968 would have renamed the holiday to Presidents’ Day to honor the birthdays of both Washington and Lincoln, but this proposal failed in committee and the bill as voted on and signed into law on June 28, 1968 kept the name Washington’s Birthday.”
2. Showing Lincoln some love
Though the official federal name of the holiday is still Washington’s Birthday, 12 states have officially renamed the day Presidents Day. Newspapers nationwide also use this term, as do most schools, and thus Presidents Day is actually the more commonly used and accepted name.
3. Massachusetts mania
In Massachusetts, the holiday is still called Washington’s Birthday. However, each year the governor issues a proclamation honoring all of the presidents from Massachusetts: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge and John F. Kennedy. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “10 Presidents Day facts I bet you didn't know“
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