Mother's Day | Caleb Baker

Mother’s Day  has always been celebrated every second Sunday in May, as a national holiday since 1914, even though the celebration has its roots back as early as the 1860s. They initially started out as informal local gatherings of mothers whose families had been split by the Civil War.

Several influential women such as Ann Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe attempted to increase the observance of Mother’s Day, often in conjunction with other movements such as temperance and anti-war sentiments. Ann Jarvis’ daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis, eventually succeeded in instigating the organization of these local events which first caught the eyes off of West Virginia, and attracted a number of other states. Soon President Woodrow Wilson and Congress agreed to make it a national holiday in 1914.

Many of the present traditions found in Mother’s Day can be traced back to Anna Marie Jarvis, who utilized handmade cards, buying flowers (especially carnations), and spending time with one’s mother as a way to celebrate mothers. She became opposed to the commercialization that Mother’s Day underwent, especially when cards were purchased from stores.

By Caleb Baker