The
origins of Mother's Day
are attributed to different people
. Many
believe that two women,
Julia
Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis were important
in establishing the tradition of Mother's Day in the United States.
Other sources say that J
uliet Calhoun Blakely initiated Mother’s Day in
Albion, Michigan,
in the late 1800s. Her sons paid tribute to her each
year and urged others to honor their mothers.
Around
1870, Julia Ward Howe called for Mother's Day to be celebrated
each year to encourage pacifism and disarmament amongst women. It
continued to be held in Boston for about ten years under her
sponsorship, but died out after that.
In 1907, Anna Jarvis held a private Mother's Day celebration in
memory of her mother, Ann Jarvis, in Grafton, West Virginia. Ann Jarvis
had organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve health and
cleanliness in the area where she lived. Anna Jarvis launched a quest
for Mother's Day to be more widely recognized. Her campaign was later
financially supported by John Wanamaker, a clothing merchant from
Philadelphia.
In 1908, she was instrumental in arranging a service in the Andrew's
Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which was attended
by 407 children and their mothers. The church has now become the
International Mother's Day Shrine. It is a tribute to all mothers and
has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Mother's Day has become a day that focuses on generally recognizing
mothers' and mother figures' roles. Mother's Day has also become an
increasingly important event for businesses in recent years. This is
particularly true of restaurants and businesses manufacturing and
selling cards and gift items.
Mother's Day in the United States is annually held on the second Sunday
of May. It celebrates motherhood and it is a time to appreciate mothers
and mother figures. Many people give gifts, cards, flowers, candy, a
meal in a restaurant or other treats to their mother and mother figures,
including grandmothers, great-grandmothers, stepmothers, and foster
mothers.
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