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Happy Father’s Day 2024! Did you know that this widely celebrated international holiday is actually a fairly modern American-made tradition? The third Sunday in June marks the official day we honor our fathers each year.
Who created Father’s Day?
The first Father’s Day was created by Sonora Smart Dodd, of Spokane, Washington, according to Britannica. Dodd’s father was a Civil War veteran named William Jackson Smart, and raised her and her five siblings after their mother died during childbirth.
Dodd said she first got the idea for Father’s Day in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day. Religious leaders in Spokane liked Dodd’s idea, so started celebrating on June 19, 1910. June is also the birth month of Dodd’s father. (TAKE A POLL: Do You Believe Social Media Has Affected Our Younger Generation in a Negative Way?)
When did Father’s Day become a holiday?
President Calvin Coolidge first gave his support to Father’s Day in 1924. But it wasn’t until 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson officially recognized the day. In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the formal legislation needed to designate Father’s Day a religious holiday.
Why do other countries celebrate Father’s Day?
Despite the more recent commodification and commercialization of Father’s Day, other countries, such as the U.K. started celebrating Father’s Day because of America. Troops stationed in Britain during World War II first introduced the holiday to their British friends. Canada also celebrates Father’s Day because of the influence of the U.S. (TAKE A POLL: Should the Government Take Immediate Action to Curb Inflation, Even if it Means Higher Taxes?)
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