Presidents’ Day
At the end of State of the Union (book 2 in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series) Fina receives a special letter from the White House, thanking her for finding the bird that pooped on his head during the State of the Union address. The letter also gives her “official permission” to investigate mysteries on federal property.
Today may be Presidents' Day, but Fina thinks of it as Fina’s Day.
(image courtesy of the National Archives)
(photo courtesy of the National Archives)
George Washington's Birthday
America’s first president George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. His birthday became a national holiday in 1879. But we Americans love our three day weekends, so in 1971, Congress designated the third Monday in February as President’s Day.
(photo of George Washington’s study at Mount Vernon; photo courtesy of Mt. Vernon)
No Holiday for George
George Washington himself wasn’t big on birthdays. In fact, he’d often spend the day writing letters or tending to chores around Mount Vernon. But Washington was a larger-than-life hero in early America and colonists around the country celebrated his birthday even while he was alive.
Everybody Wants a Holiday
Not everyone gets Monday off. Indiana and Georgia push the holiday back to the day after Christmas for state workers. Delaware lets state workers choose their own “floating” holiday.
Washington isn’t the only president with his own holiday.
More than a dozen states honor Abraham Lincoln with a day off on February 12th.
May 8th is Harry Truman day in Missouri and a holiday for state workers.
In Massachusetts, the Citizens Committee for the JFK Holiday is lobbying for a state holiday to honor native son President Kennedy.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a New Yorker with no connection to Kentucky, but January 30th is the state’s holiday honoring FDR on his birthday. A State Senator named George Ed-Overbey proposed the FDR holiday back in 1958. Why 1958? “I guess I just thought of it then,” said Senator Overbey.
The U.S. Senate has an annual tradition of celebrating George Washington's birthday by reading his farewell address from the Senate Floor on January 22nd. Last year, Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland read the speech. As of this writing, there is no information about who will do the honors this year.