Once upon a time the people celebrated the anniversary of their
founding leader’s birthday with parades, flags and patriotic
speeches. Many years later, the country’s legislators decided that
this celebration, along with some others, should take place on the
nearest Monday. This was deemed a good idea because it ended
mid-week work interruptions and gave everyone several three-day
weekends. About the time it passed, the country’s leader was so
enthusiastic about it that he issued a proclamation, declaring that
the founding leaders’ birthday holiday would henceforth be known as
Presidents’ Day. Thus, the citizenry would honor all of the
country’s leaders, not just one.
A charming footnote from recent American history? Nope. It’s
fiction, around which mythology has grown. What we are celebrating
today (in fact all this long weekend) is the George Washington’s
Birthday Holiday. Presidents’ Day has no official standing of any
kind.
Here is what happened. In 1968, Congress passed a “uniform
holiday” bill which provided that three national holidays be held
on a Monday, rather than their actual dates: Washington’s Birthday,
Memorial day and Veterans’ Day. It also established Columbus Day as
a federal holiday. President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill, to
become effective On January 1, 1971. On February 11, 1971,
then-President Nixon signed an Executive Order setting forth the
procedure for implementing the bill. The new annual holiday
schedule in that Executive Order included “Washington’s Birthday,
the third Monday in February.” No mention of “Presidents’ Day.”
The day he issued the Executive Order happened to be the eve of
Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Nixon issued a statement in praise of
Lincoln, period (Lincoln’s birthday has never been a federal
holiday).
For some years a trend has been developing to devalue the
contributions of individuals to our nation’s history and successes.
In teachers’ colleges, this fad has taken the form of teaching
“bottoms-up” history. That is, placing more emphasis on the
quotidian activities of ordinary citizens than on the acts of
leaders such as Washington, who took responsibility for holding
together a motley army, presided over the Constitutional
Convention, led a fledging nation and kept it from flying apart,
then set aside the mantle of leadership — a rare occurrence in a
world of kings and emperors.
For such faddists, “Presidents’ Day” is tailor made. It
trivializes the office. It’s no more important than the 18th
Century lady who took in laundry. Presumably, we are to honor
equally a Washington, a Lincoln, a Franklin Pierce (most notable
achievement, the introduction of perforated postage stamps),
William Henry Harrison (who unwisely gave his inaugural address
without wearing an overcoat, caught cold and died 30 days later)
and Bill Clinton (sex tutor of interns). By honoring all, we honor
none.
Critics of “Presidents’ Day” often blame Richard Nixon for
making it happen. A widespread canard is that he issued a
proclamation about it on February 21, 1971. Susan Naulty, archivist
at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in California, says he
never issued such a proclamation.
Despite that definitive word, the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm,
Sweden, of all places, still posts the canard on its website.
They’re not the only ones. In 1999, then-President Clinton issued a
statement that included the following, “I am pleased to join all
Americans in observing Presidents’ Day which celebrates all those
who have held America’s highest office.” Why was he so inattentive
to the facts and, for that matter, the existing law? One can only
guess that, with Monica around, it was hard to concentrate on
anything else but her pleasures.
“Presidents’ Day” has been happily promoted for three decades
now by mattress and used car salesmen, calendar producers, and by
journalists too lazy in the first place to look up the facts.
As you enjoy this holiday, just remember who made it possible,
the one whom historian James Flexner called “the indispensable
man.” And, as the sun sinks in the west and you lift your martini
glass, try this toast based on an 18th Century tune: “Fill the
glass to the brink / to Washington’s health we’ll drink.”
