Published: February 16, 2024
Presidents’ Day is observed annually on the third Monday in February. It is a federal holiday in the United States that was originally established in 1879 to commemorate the birthday of George Washington, the first President of the United States. Since then, the holiday has evolved to recognize all presidents who have served the needs of the country.
George Washington’s birthday falls on February 22nd and was celebrated as a separate holiday for many years. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved several Federal holidays to Mondays to create more three-day weekends for workers.
In 1971, the implementation of the Uniform Monday Holiday Law (82 Stat. 250) moved the celebration of Washington's Birthday to the third Monday in February. Additionally, some reformers wanted to change the name of the holiday to Presidents' Day, in honor of both Lincoln and Washington. However, the proposal was rejected by Congress, and the holiday is still officially recognized as Washington's Birthday.
While the name change has never been authorized by Congress, it has gained a strong hold on the public consciousness to honor all U.S. Presidents and is generally used on calendars, in advertising, and by many government agencies.
(Source: National Archives )
Did You Know?
“Washington did not publicly deliver his Farewell Address. It first appeared on September 19, 1796, in the Philadelphia Daily American Advertiser and then in papers around the country. In January 1862, with the Constitution endangered by civil war, a thousand citizens of Philadelphia petitioned Congress to commemorate the forthcoming 130th anniversary of George Washington’s birth by providing that “the Farewell Address of Washington be read aloud on the morning of that day in one or the other of the Houses of Congress.” Both houses agreed and assembled in the House of Representatives’ chamber on February 22, 1862, where Secretary of the Senate John W. Forney “rendered ‘The Farewell Address’ very effectively,” as one observer recalled.”
Other Resources
- Learn more facts about the U.S. Presidents on the White House website.
- Find more information about Presidential documents, the U.S. Presidents, and Presidential libraries from the National Archives' website .
- Explore educational materials on the USCIS website (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) .
- Read more about Washington's Birthday and the George Washington Birthplace National Monument from the National Park Service .