The First Mother’s Day May 9, 1914
Think of all the work that mothers do in raising their children. Mothers need to be celebrated! President Woodrow Wilson realized this on May 9, 1914, proclaiming the first Mother’s Day. He asked Americans on that day to give a public "thank you" to their mothers and all mothers. What do you do for your mother on Mother’s Day?
The start of Mother’s Day was especially meaningful for Ana Jarvis of Philadelphia. Six years earlier, she began a campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day. Her own mother had recently died, and Jarvis wanted to remember her along with all mothers. She convinced her mother’s church to celebrate Mother’s Day on the anniversary of her mother’s death, the second Sunday of May. As a result, Woodrow Wilson chose that date for the national holiday.
Do you know the official flower of Mother’s Day? Carnations have come to represent the day–pink for mothers living, white for those passed away. This is because of President William McKinley’s habit of always wearing a white carnation, his mother’s favorite flower.
Mother’s Day is now celebrated with gifts, visits, and flowers. Of course, if you ask your mom, she might tell you that every day is Mother’s Day.
