Presidents’
Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February.
Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington,
it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal
government.
Traditionally
celebrated on February 22—Washington’s actual day of birth—the holiday became
popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform
Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the
nation’s workers.
While
several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of
Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly
viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present.
