Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Do you know the history behind it?
It began with the ancient Greeks and Romans. They honored their mother goddesses with festivals. Fast-forward to the sixteenth century and you’ll find “Mothering Sunday.” This was a Christian holiday celebrated by England and other European countries. It began with people returning to their “mother” church on the fourth Sunday of Lent, but, over the years. changed to mothers being recognized by their children with flowers and small gifts.
It’s not until after the American Civil War, we see the foundation being laid for the creation of the Mother’s Day holiday, as we know it. First, Ann Reeves Jarvis—mother of Anna Jarvis—“organized a ‘Mothers’ Friendship Day,’ the goal of which was to foster reconciliation between former Union and Confederate soldiers by having them come together, along with mothers from both sides.”1
Then, in 1872, Julia Ward Howe, author of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a famous Civil War song, proposed an annual holiday on June 2. She wanted “Mothers Day” to be celebrated annually, and she wanted mothers to help promote world peace.
But it is Anna Jarvis who is recognized as the founder of our current “Mother’s Day” holiday. Her campaign to create a public holiday to honor mothers began after the death of her own mother in 1905. While many states observed the day by 1911, it didn’t become an official U.S. holiday until May 9, 1914. On that day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation, establishing the second Sunday of each May as the national Mother’s Day holiday.
Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world with different traditions and on different days, depending on the country. But the purpose of the day remains the same in all locations—it’s a day to honor our mothers.
1https://www.grammarly.com/blog/history-of-mothers-day/