Father's Day is celebrated to honor and appreciate fathers and father figures for their contributions to the lives of their children.
The modern concept of Father's Day is generally attributed to Sonora Smart Dodd, who was inspired by Mother's Day celebrations.
She hoped to create a similar holiday to honor fathers. She wanted to express gratitude to her dad, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised her and her five siblings after their mother passed away.
Sonora Smart Dodd's persistent efforts led to the recognition of Father's Day as a holiday.
June 19, 1910, The first Father's Day celebration took place in the United States in Spokane, Washington.
Slowly, the holiday spread.
In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C.
1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day.
1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.
1972, Father's Day was officially recognized as a national holiday in the United States when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.
Father's Day has been celebrated on different dates in various countries around the world.
Today, it is estimated that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father’s Day gifts.
Father’s Day 2023 will occur on Sunday, June 18.
What are you doing for your father?
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