Presidents' Day
Until the mid-1970s, the February 22 birthday of George Washington, hero of the Revolutionary War and first president of the United States, was a national holiday. In addition, the February 12 birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the president during the Civil War (1861-1865), was a holiday in most states.
In the 1970s, Congress declared that in order to honor all past presidents of the United States, a single holiday, to be called Presidents' Day, would be observed on the third Monday in February. In many states, however, the holiday continues to be known as George Washington's birthday.
Background
- American Experience: The Presidents (PBS)
- POTUS: Presidents of the United States (Internet Public Library)
- Presidents' Day (Miami Dade County Schools)
- Today in History: February 22, George Washington's Birthday (Library of Congress)
- The White House
Texts/Documents
- George Washington Papers (Library of Congress)
- Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents
- Public Papers of the Presidents (National Archives and Records Administration)
Exhibits
- The American Presidency: Glorious Burden (Museum of American History)
- Historic Mount Vernon
- Phototour of Abraham Lincoln Places
- Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies (Library of Congress)
For Kids
- Mr. President. Profiles of Our Nation's Leaders. (Smithsonian Institution)
- President's Day (Learners Online)
- The White House for Kids