Washington's Birthday is celebrated on the third Monday of February. Previously George Washington's birthday was observed on February 22. The Federal Holiday, originally named "Washington's Birthday" and implemented in 1880, was the first such federal holiday to honor an American-born citizen. Although by tradition, the February holiday also honors at least Abraham Lincoln and often other Presidents of the United States as well the formal name "Washington's Birthday" remains the legal federal holiday title. Lincoln's birthday is February 12, and although it was never a federal holiday - approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington's Birthday observances as Presidents' Day, Washington and Lincoln Day, or other such designations. In Washington's home state of Virginia the holiday is legally known as "George Washington Day." In Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, the state celebrates separate state holidays for both Lincoln and Washington.

History

George Washington was actually born on February 11, 1732 of the Julian calendar, in use before England's calendar reformation in September 1752. His birthday is equivalent to February 22 in the Gregorian calendar used since 1752. Later in life, Washington himself considered the 22nd to be his birthday.

Public celebrations for George Washington's birthday actually predate his term as president, in honor of his service during the American Revolutionary War.

Observance on the third Monday of February dates to the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill of 1968, which became effective in 1971. A draft of that bill called for a Presidents' Day to honor both Washington and Lincoln, but the Judicary Committee voted the change down. The Congressional Record notes that had supporters insisted on changing the holiday's name, the entire bill would have remained in committee. Supporters of the bill assured Congress the Monday selected, to shift the then February 22 celebration, to a Monday on which Washington's birth date would ocassionally fall. By choosing the third Monday in February, Congress choose wrong. The correct Monday on which Washington's birth date would have ocassionally fallen would have been the fourth Monday in February. But with a holiday that had been continuously celebrated on February 22 since the American Revolution, few could imagine: "Who could forget George Washington?"

It would not be until the late 1980s when advertisers began playing a roll in changing the holiday title. When Congress implemented, in 1986, the second federal holiday tribute to an American-born citizen, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. they choose a Monday on which King's birthday would ocassionall fall. Advertisers noting the descrepency began to aggressively morph separate Lincoln and Washington birthday sales into a longer 'Presidents' Day' sales period. The popularity of the term grew and as it grew the emphasis on Washington and his achievements began to diminish. Such is the power of advertising over historical accuracy.

There is an urban legend that when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was implemented in 1971, President Richard Nixon issued a proclamation calling for a Presidents' Day on the third Monday to honor all U.S. presidents. Each February both the Law Library at the Library of Congress and Nixon Archivist field an upsurge in calls on this question. But no evidence of this exists in his official papers.

As of 2006, the federal government and many state and local governments still officially designate the holiday as "Washington's Birthday". Many private employers and calendar makers refer to it as "Presidents' Day".

"Washington's Birthday" is the designated holiday in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees.

Observance and traditions

The holiday is intended to honor the accomplishments of the man who is known to his fellow citizens as "The Father of our Country". Celebrated for his patriotism, leadership, and statesmanship, the holiday also encourages the investigation of early colonial life, the importing of slavery from the Old World and what is took to achieve a young country's independence in the midsts of not all its citizens being free.

The holiday is also a tribute to the General who created the first military badge of merit for the common soldier. Revived on Washington's 200th birthday in 1932, the Purple Heart recognizes the injuries received in battle.

In 2007, the country will celebrate both Washington's 275th birthday and the 75th anniversary of the rebirth of the Purple Heart medal.

In American schools the days leading up to the holiday are often used to educate students on the history of the Presidents of the United States, especially Washington and Lincoln. In recent years Presidents' Day has become well-known for being a day in which many stores hold sales.

Until the late 1980s, corporate businesses were universally closed on this day, the way they are on (for example) Memorial Day or Christmas. Since then, however, more and more businesses are staying open on the holiday each year, and, as on Veterans Day and Columbus Day, most delivery services outside of the Post Office now offer regular service on the day as well. Some public transit systems have also gone to regular schedules on the day. Various theories exist for this, the most accepted one being to make up for the growing trend of corporations to close in observance of Martin Luther King Day. As with many federal holidays, few Americans actually celebrate President's Day, and it is mainly known as a day off from work or school.

There has long been a tradition held in U.S. Senate with regards this historical holiday. Since 1862, George Washington's farewell address has been read. Citizens asked that this be done in lieu of the approaching Civil War. The annual tradition continues with the reading of the address on or near Washington's Birthday. Such is the power of the original.