There's not much doubt that the idea to set aside a special day for fathers became popular in many parts of the US in the early years of the twentieth century, but making it happen across the United States wasn't an easy task. The people who wanted the grass-roots tradition to continue didn't give up until the day was declared an official holiday for dads.
Sonora Smart Dodd's Link to Father's Day
One important promoter of Father's Day was Sonora Smart Dodd, whose father, Civil War veteran Henry Jackson Smart, raised his children as a single parent after the death of their mother. During a 1909 church service honoring mothers, Sonora thought of her father and how he struggled to raise six children. Her memories lead her to become a leading voice in the movement for an official Father's Day.Sonora convinced her minister to dedicate a church service to fathers. The first service was on the third Sunday in June in 1909. In following years the event caught on, spreading across Sonora's home state of Washington.
Father's Day Becomes Official
Individuals, organizations, and states lobbied Congress to declare Father's Day a national event. President Woodrow Wilson approved a special Father's Day in 1916, but it didn't become an official annual event until 1924, when President Calvin Coolidge signed a resolution to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."Since that time, the third Sunday in June has been set aside to honor fathers throughout the United States.
Gift Ideas for Dads
