History: Father's Day

Origin of Father’s Day

Children have always celebrated their father’s since the beginning of time.  Like the origins of Mother’s Day, ancient civilizations celebrated their gods, including a celebration for the king of their gods, Zeus.  The holiday was called the Festival of Zeus (and usually marked the time of the ancient Olympic competitions).  Since the beginning of Early Catholicism, the celebration of the “father” of Jesus was also celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day (which coincidentally falls out around Father’s Day, on June 19^th).  Father’s Day celebration as we know it today was created in the early part of the 19^th Century.  Its origins come from three different people, Harry Meek, Dr. Robert Webb and Mrs. John Bruce Dodd.

• Dr. Robert Webb

  • Dr. Robert Webb conducted the first Father’s Day service in 1908 in Fairmount West Virginia (Central Church of Fairmont).

• Mrs. John Bruce Dodd

  • Three thousand miles away, Sonora Amart Dodd (Mrs. John Bruce Dodd) promoted the Father’s Day concept in Spokane Washington. She came up with this concept to commemorate her father, William Jackson Smart, a widower and Civil War Veteran, who raised six children by himself (her mother died in childbirth).  The idea came to her while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909.  She promoted the Father’s Day idea with much vigor.  With the help of the Spokane Ministerial Association, the Spokane YMCA and other organizations and politicians, Spokane became the first city to “officially” celebrate a Father’s Day, when it did so on June 19^th, 1910 (note: they were originally going to celebrate it on June 5^th, the date of her father’s birthday, but organizers did not have the time to get it together until the 19^th).

• Harry Meek

  • Harry Meek has been credited by some as the creator of Father’s Day and in his position as President of the Chicago Uptown Lion’s Club conducted Father’s Day events.  The Lion’s Club chose the third Sunday of June to celebrate the holiday because it was close to the birthday of Harry Meek.  However, the first celebration was not conducted until five years later.

National Support of Father’s Day

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge gave support to establish a national day to honor fathers. He wanted a day that “would establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.“ This lead to the creation of a National Father’s Day Committee which met for the first time two years later in New York City.

In 1956, Father’s Day is recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress.

In 1966, the first presidential proclamation establishing a national Father’s Day was made in 1966  by President Lyndon Johnson.  It proclaimed the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day.

In 1972, Father’s Day became “officially” recognized as a holiday when President Richard Nixon signed a law that named the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.

Dates for Father’s Day

2005: Sun, June 19
2006: Sun, June 18
2007: Sun, June 17

Father’s Day Traditions and Celebrations

One custom arising from the early celebrations was the wearing of flowers on Father’s Day.  White flowers honored a living father and red flowers for a deceased father. Today, wearing of flowers is not as prevalent – but many people still do.

Neck ties have become a favorite gift for Father’s Day. The sales of neckties rise to over 800 million during the time of the holiday.

Father’s Day cards are usually given on Father’s Day.  An interesting fact is that over 90% of the cards are bought by women and most are usually humorous.

International Observation of Father’s Day

The United States is one of the only countries to officially recognize a national holiday for fathers.  However, other countries do celebrate fathers officially and unofficially.

Celebratory Dates Around the World

• March

  • March 19: Portugal, Spain

• May/June

  • May 8^th: Korea (called Parent’s Day)

  • Ascension Day (40 Days after Easter): Germany

• June

  • June 5^th: Denmark

  • June 20^th: Bulgaria

  • First Sunday in June: Lithuania

  • Second Sunday in June: Austria, Belgium

  • Third Sunday in June: Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Malta

• August

  • August 8^th: Taiwan

  • Second Sunday in August: Brazil

• September

  • First Sunday in September: Australia, New Zealand

• November

  • Second Sunday in November: Finland, Scandinavia

• December

  • December 5^th: Thailand

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Last modified: February 19, 2008