By KEN IRVING
Student Reporter
The third Monday of February is President’s Day, Washington’s Birthday, or Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday.
This can be complicated but truth be told, either one of these names for the holiday are correct.
“President’s Day” was originally known as Washington’s Birthday. After Washington’s death in 1799, many citizens in the United States began to honor him on his birthday. Washington was well renowned and respected for of course being the first President and a war hero.
Although there wasn’t a national holiday for Washington, everyone celebrated him on his birthday (Feb. 22). In 1848, when construction for the Washington Monument began, many people wanted his birthday to be a national holiday.In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed Washington’s Birthday into a law, but this was originally only celebrated in Washington D.C. It wasn’t until 1885 when it expanded across the entire nation.
Washington’s Birthday stood as a holiday on Feb. 22 for a century until Senator Robert Mcclory of Illinois advocated for the Uniformed Holiday Act. He wanted to take every federal holiday and put them on a Monday so people could have three-day weekends.
This act was very popular with Americans, however Congress argued that there was another famous President’s birthday in February: Abraham Lincoln. He was born on Feb. 12th.
In 1971 the Uniformed Holiday Act went in effect under President Richard Nixon. This meant that President’s Day would now fall under the 3rd Monday in February. This new President’s Day celebrated both Washington and Lincoln.
There is much speculation about what Presidents Day actually means. Is it a celebration for Washington and Lincoln, or a celebration for all presidents? I got a chance to talk to a few faculty and students and get their opinions.
“I think we should celebrate all the Presidents,” Dr. Aaron Mason said. “Specifically, I think you should celebrate the President you like the most.”
Mason has an interesting take. He beleives you should celebrate whatever President you like the most. He thinks that President’s Day should be a day we appreciate all of our presidents.
Avery Tittle, a Senior Criminal Justice Major from Morris, Oklahoma, has a different take on President’s Day.
“Well I believe President’s Day should only be a celebration for Washington and Lincoln,” Tittle said. “If you celebrate all of the Presidents than it takes glory away from the ones who did the most.”
She thinks that we should just celebrate the best President’s. That way we are actually appreciating what the great ones did.
Wilalei Tommy, a Sophomore Health and Sports Science Education Major from Enid, Oklahoma, take is more of what a lot of people are thinking.
“I mean president’s day is cool I guess,” Tommy said. “I don’t really celebrate it or really care for it, but it’s cool to appreciate our President’s.”
This is the answer most people would say. Honestly, President’s Day is a day that should be known and recognized but it’s not like the other major holidays. It’s business as usual on President’s Day in some states because they don’t recognize it as a federal holiday.
No matter what President’s Day is truly about, it at least makes you think about a President. That’s all you can ask for in this day and age. Throughout the years, President’s Day has lost its meaning but at least people are still talking about it.
