Presidents Day

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. 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. Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present. 

The purpose of Presidents' Day is to celebrate the American presidency and remember all those who served as President of the United States. Though the original intent behind the "Presidents Day" concept was to honor both Lincoln and Washington. 

Presidents’ Day is used by many patriotic and historical groups as a date for staging celebrations, reenactments and other events. A number of states also require that their schools spend the days leading up to Presidents’ Day teaching students about the accomplishments of the presidents.