The Origins of Mother’s Day
May 5, 2017
We all love our mothers and with Mother’s Day approaching it is important to explore the history of the holiday. Anna Jarvis founded Mother’s Day as a way to celebrate her social activist mother, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis. Much of the origins of Mother’s Day isn’t widely known, so let’s take a look at how this wonderful holiday came to be.
Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis
Born in 1832, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis was the inspiration that paved the way for Mother’s Day to become nationally recognized. As a peace activist, she cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the civil war. In 1868, she created a committee to establish “Mother’s Friendship Day” which was an effort to bring families back together after the civil war had torn them apart. Her social work extended to her Mother’s Day Work Clubs which dealt with health issues during the outbreak of typhoid fever.
The Daughter Who Started It All
Sadly, Anna Jarvis passed away in 1905, but her efforts continued through the hard work of her daughter, Ann Jarvis. The year her mother died, Ann began campaigning to make Mother’s Day a national holiday based on the belief that mothers were “The person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” By 1908 the proposal was rejected by Congress, but she continued to follow in her mother’s footsteps of perseverance and had every state in America observing the holiday in 1911. President Woodrow Wilson officially signed a proclamation in 1914 declaring the second Sunday in May to be a national holiday to honor mothers, and the tradition continues to this day.
Honoring Your Mother
Our mothers are always there for us, and we should always be there for them. At Encore at Avalon Park, we continue to follow the traditions of Ann Jarvis in honoring mothers and taking care of your loved ones. We offer both living assisted living to provide a sense of community along with our Memory Care program for those living with cognitive impairments. For questions about our room options or to schedule a tour, contact us today at 407-270-7500.
