George Washington is the only president officially designated to be honored on Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day is not an official name

Presidents' Day is the third Monday in February, but officially, the date has been set aside to honor only one US president. Although today all American presidents are saluted on this date, the federal observance has not been changed. George Washington, whose birthdate is the 22nd, is the only leader of the free world who is recognized by the US Government.

The manner in which you observe this date, however, will depend on whether you're considering federal law, state law, or American tradition. Some celebrate all presidents, others only Washington and Lincoln. There are those who only honor George Washington.

In the 1960s, the separate dates of Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays were highlighted on calendars and emphasized in American schools. Children wrote reports about them and put the images of each man on posters or billboards.

George Washington Only

Officially, this holiday is still known as Washington’s Birthday, but it's not emphasized. Under federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103), the third Monday in February is designated to honor only George Washington.

Congress has made several attempts to change the name of this observance to "Presidents' Day," but it was never made official. Meanwhile, Americans unwittingly say Presidents' Day and assume this is the official holiday name.

Washington and Lincoln

Traditionally, for decades, most Americans have viewed the day as a celebration of both George Washington (born February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (born February 12). Because the holiday falls between their two birthdays, it became a natural way to honor both men who are considered “monumental" presidents in U.S. history.

Washington was deemed the father of the nation, although it has been revealed that he was not actually the first US president. There have been reports of from four to tweleve men who governed America prior to Washington's election.

Lincoln was the sixteenth American president. He is most famous for "Saving the Union." He accomplished this by signing the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves, and led to the end of the Civil War.

The origin of Presidents Day

In our modern times, many Americans honor all US presidents on this day. There are ceremonies in Washington and around the nation. In the public consciousness—and especially in retail marketing—Presidents' Day has evolved into a general celebration of every American President past and present. Retailers benefit when they have Presidents’ Day sales that last an entire week.

Presidents’ Day became the commonly accepted holiday moniker thanks in part to retailers’ using the name to promote sales. The proximity to Lincoln’s birthday was also beneficial.

The origin of Presidents’ Day was in the 1880s, when Washington the first president and commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, was honored with a Federal holiday.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays. The change was designed to schedule certain holidays so that workers had many long weekends throughout the year, but it has been opposed by those who believe that those holidays should be celebrated on the dates they actually commemorate.

Washington is still celebrated on the 22nd

It was proposed that Washington’s Birthday be renamed Presidents’ Day to honor both him and Lincoln. After a lengthy discussion, Congress rejected the name change. The bill went into effect in 1971.

Even though the name was not officially altered, most Americans began using the term President's Day and continue to do so. On the three-day weekend, State and Federal buildings will be closed . Some people, however, still honor George Washington his legal birthdate on February 22nd.