As we get ready to enjoy a three-day weekend for President’s Day, here are a few words to remind everyone how this weekend originated. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance. The holiday became popularly known as Presidents' Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, where shifting holidays from their original dates were to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While some argued that shifting holidays from their original dates would cheapen their meaning, the bill also had widespread support from both the private sector and labor unions.
