| r’s day is celebrated on the second | | | | because of her displeasure with the Civil War and |
| Sunday in May and is set aside to honor our | | | | the death and hardship woman had to endure. |
| Moms. But how did this holiday come to be. In the | | | | And it was also her basic tenant that woman |
| United States there it was imported from the | | | | needed to step up and help shape the society on |
| British holiday called Mothering Sunday and | | | | all levels including the political level. |
| celebrated as part of the 4th Sunday of Lent. In | | | | Her idea for mother’s day was inspired by |
| the 16th century children once a year on | | | | Ann Jarvis who was trying to improve sanitation |
| Mothering Sunday would go to mother’s | | | | at work. She called her crusade Mothers Work |
| church which reunited parents with their children | | | | Days. She was able to get women during the Civil |
| that day. Although there was little documentation | | | | War to work towards better sanitation conditions. |
| it was believed these children were working for | | | | When Ann Jarvis died her Daughter, Anna Jarvis |
| someone and away from home. Some were | | | | worked to getting a memorial day for women |
| woman who were slaves and this was the one | | | | started and was successful in Grafton West |
| day of the year that they could return home and | | | | Virginia. On May 10ths 1908 the first Mothers Day |
| see their families. | | | | was held. It was in the church that Ann Jarvis had |
| Despite the fact that the holiday is now secular, | | | | taught. Originally it was a Andrews Methodist |
| there are churches that go back to the Christian | | | | Episcopal Church. Now the building is the |
| roots of the holiday and pay homage to Mary, | | | | International Mother’s Day Shrine and a |
| Our Spiritual Mother. May is also designated by the | | | | National Historic Landmark. The other 45 states |
| church as a month devoted to Mary and extra | | | | also began celebrating this holiday and in 1914 |
| attention is paid to Mary. There are definitely | | | | Woodrow Wilson declared the first Nation Mothers |
| Christian roots in this holiday though. | | | | day for Mothers whose sons had died in World |
| The holiday was imported to the United states by | | | | War I. |
| Julia Ward Howe after the civil war. Howe is a well | | | | Ironically the young lady who wanted to honor |
| know social activist and was an American | | | | her own mother and started the whole concept |
| Abolitionist. But her most famous accomplishment | | | | was so upset with the commercialization of the |
| is the penning of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. | | | | holiday that she started to become an opponent |
| In 1870 Howe wrote the Mothers day | | | | to it. However, Mothers Day continues to be one |
| Proclamation and it was one of the early mentions | | | | of the most successful US holidays. It is a great |
| to celebrate Mother’s Day in the United | | | | opportunity to get your mom a Mother’s |
| States. The proclamation is is still included in a | | | | Day Gift to thank her for being your Mom. |
| Unitarian Hymn. She encouraged this holiday | | | | |