The History of Father's Day

Answer 1

Father's Day has become one of the most beloved summer holidays in the United States. Acting as a complement to Mother's Day, it gives children of all ages a chance to show their fathers their love and appreciation through purchased gifts and cards as well as homemade items. In 1910, a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington decided that, with the recent implementation of Mother's Day, it was only appropriate to set aside a day to honor fathers as well. Her own father had single-handedly raised her entire family after the death of her mother, and she wanted to set aside a day to appreciate him and others like him. Sonora spoke with church and community leaders and June 19 was chosen as the first Father's Day. Community members wore roses to honor their fathers - red roses to honor living fathers and white roses to honor those passed on. The tradition continued and spread, and in 1972, Richard Nixon made Father's Day an official holiday to be observed on the third Sunday of every June.