Mother's Day

In 1872, Julia Ward Howe tried to start a Mother's Day for Peace. A year later (June 2, 1873) women in 18 cities across America participated. The holiday was honored by women in Boston for another decade, but it phased out after Howe stopped funding it.

Anna Reeves Jarvis started Mother's Work Day to raise awareness of bad sanitation in West Virginia. Her daughter Anna Jarvis took on the mission with added agenda in 1912. Her efforts met with "success" when West Virginia adopted an official Mother's Day . Then two years later(1914), Congress passed a Joint Resolution. It was signed by President Wilson which established a national Mother's Day. However it emphasized the role of women in their families - and not, like Julia Ward Howe's campaign, in the public arena. (True Woman ideals)

Never a mother herself, the celebration of Mother's Day was Anna Jarvis’ lifelong mission. As the holiday expanded, Jarvis became dismayed by its commercialization. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit," she is quoted as saying.

In remembrance of all great women,

Happy Mother’s Day

for it isn't the birth. its the caring