Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of February every year. It was first officially celebrated in 1879. (0ver 146-years ago!)
Presidents’ Day is a day to honor those who have served as Presidents of the United States. Yet some states only acknowledge Washington, Lincoln, or a different combination of presidents. States like Delaware do not recognize the holiday federally period.
Maine, Virginia, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, and New York label the holiday as “Washington’s Birthday.”
States like Montana, Arizona, Ohio, Utah, and Minnesota label the holiday as Washington AND Lincoln’s birthday.
Alabama got rid of Lincoln entirely and decided to replace him with Thomas Jefferson (the third President of the United States.) Arkansas similarly ditches Lincoln and instead celebrates Daisy Bates, a civil rights activist and leader of the NAACP branch in Arkansas. Bates was responsible for advising the infamous Little Rock Nine, the first black students to enroll at the all-white institution of Little Rock Central High School.
Massachusetts celebrates Presidents’ Day as well as John F. Kennedy’s birthday, May 29th. They honor multiple presidents on May 29th with Massachusetts roots.
And finally, the weirdest of them all, until 2018, Georgia and Indiana would observe the holiday on Christmas Eve.
