Every February, the commander in chief gets the third Monday off, and you probably do too. Many states celebrate this holiday, but they don’t all call it the same thing—or even celebrate it at the same time! Here’s the scoop on Presidents’ Day.
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, which is why the holiday is in February. It was unofficially observed as early as 1799, right after Washington’s death.
In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed a bill that made Washington’s Birthday a federal holiday. This means that federal offices close and federal employees—like public school teachers—get the day off. For almost 100 years, it was celebrated on February 22.
But in 1971, the government decided to create more three-day weekends. That’s why we now celebrate the holiday on the third Monday in February. During that time, some states also tried to change the holiday’s name to honor Abraham Lincoln too. (Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809.) Others wanted to call it Presidents’ Day to celebrate all presidents.
After a lengthy battle, its official federal name remains Washington’s Birthday. But many states changed their laws to call the third Monday in February Presidents’ Day. Some states, like Utah, call it Washington and Lincoln Day. New Mexico moved Presidents’ Day to the day after Thanksgiving! No matter what you call it, it’s a time to celebrate the people that have led our country. What are you going to do over the long weekend?