George Washington's Birthday

George Washington's Birthday is celebrated as a federal holiday on the third Monday in February. It is one of the "permanent holidays established by Congress." George Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the Julian Calendar. In 1752, Great Britain and all of its colonies adopted the Gregorian Calendar, which placed Washington's birthday on February 22, 1732. The Americans celebrated his birthday long before Congress declared it a federal holiday. The centennial of his birth prompted festivities nationally and Congress established a Joint Committee to arrange for the occasion. At the recommendation of the Committee, chaired by Henry Clay of the Senate and Philemon Thomas of the House, Congress adjourned on February 22, 1832 out of Washingtn's memory and the commemoration of his birth.

Prompted by a memorial from the mayor and other citizens of Philadelphia, the House and Senate commemorated the 130th anniversary of Washington's birthday by reading aloud his Farewell Address. In a special joint session in the House chamber, the House and Senate, along with several cabinet officials, Justices of the Supreme Court and high ranking officers of the Army and Navy, gathered to listen to the Secretary of State read aloud the address. The reading of George Washington's Farewell Address became an annual event of the Senate, a tradition observed to this day. His birthday didn't become a legal holiday until January 31, 1789 when Congress added Februry 22nd to the list of holidays to be observed by federal employees in the District of Columbia. The act didn't stipulate that employees were to be paid for the holiday. Some government employees in Washington, D.C. were paid while others weren't. In 1885, Congress resolved this discrepancy with legislation that required federal employees to be paid for all federal holidays and made federal holidays applicable to all federal government employees, including those employed outside the D.C. area.

Washington's Birthday was well-celebrated into the 20th century. In 1968 Congress passed the Monday Holiday Law to "provide uniform annual observance of certain legal public holidays on Mondays." By creating more three day weekends, Congress hoped to "bring substantial benefits to both the spiritual and economic life of the nation." One of the provisions of this act changed the observance of Washington's Birthday from February 22nd to the third Monday in February. As a result of that provision, Washington's Birthday would never be celebrated on the 22nd. The latest it could be celebrated now would be on February 21st. Contrary to popular belief, Congress nor the President has ever stipulated the name of the holiday be changed to "President's Day". The movement for a holiday called "President's Day" didn't begin until 1951 and then they wanted to make March 4th the day to observe President's Day. March 4th used to be the date when the president took the oath of office. When the Monday Holiday Law was debated before Congress, there was an early draft to change Washington's Birthday to President's Day but it didn't make it before Congress. It was sometime in the 80's that Washington's Birthday was changed to President's Day. It happened as a result of a push from advertisers to rename the holiday. That's when "President's Day" made it's first public appearance. Also, only the banks and the post office close on President's Day and not other places of business.