05/10/2026
Happy Mother's Day!!
Mother’s Day actually began as a women’s movement to better the lives of Americans. Its forgotten origins spring from two lifelong activists who championed efforts toward better health, welfare, and peace. Know your Mother’s Day history—and get inspired.
Mother’s Day was officially established in the U.S. in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, following a campaign by Anna Jarvis to honor her mother’s legacy. While rooted in earlier 19th-century peace movements, the modern holiday was first celebrated in 1908 as a day for honoring personal sacrifices, typically marked by white carnations.
Origins and Key Figures:
Ann Reeves Jarvis (1830s–1905): During the Civil War era, she created "Mothers' Work Clubs" to improve health, care for soldiers on both sides, and address community issues.
Julia Ward Howe (1870): Following the Civil War, she issued a "Mother’s Day Proclamation," a call to action for women to unite for peace, attempting to establish a "Mother's Peace Day".
Anna Jarvis (1864–1948): After her mother’s death in 1905, she dedicated her life to establishing an official holiday. She held the first official Mother’s Day service at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, in May 1908.
Official Recognition and Evolution1910–1914: West Virginia became the first state to adopt the holiday. By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation declaring the second Sunday in May as a national holiday.
Today, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May in many countries to honor mothers, grandmothers, and guardians
