When is Father’s Day 2024 in the United States?
Moves were made as early as the 1910s to create a day for dads but it took another 60 years before an official recognition was made.
Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide, though the specific dates may vary across nations. In the United States, it falls on the third Sunday of June each year.
This year, Father’s Day will be observed on Sunday, 16 June.
Origin of Father’s Day in the United States
The origins of Father’s Day vary across countries, with Catholic tradition being a common influence. However, in the United States, the holiday has a unique history that traces back to June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. Sonora Smart Dodd was instrumental in organizing the first-ever Father’s Day celebration in the US.
During a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, Dodd was struck with the idea that fathers should also have a day dedicated to their recognition. Dodd’s father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran and single parent, had raised Dodd and her siblings after their mother’s passing, making her realize the importance of recognizing fathers’ contributions.
Motivated by her admiration for her father’s dedication and sacrifices, Dodd started campaigning for a day to honour fathers. She approached local churches, government officials, and community organizations to garner support. She chose the month of June to commemorate her father’s birthday, which was on 5 June.
Happy Father’s Day to my hero! ♥️ pic.twitter.com/qAxWToAQcQ
— Amanuel Tedros (@emmanuel_tag) June 4, 2023
The celebration gradually gained popularity across the nation, and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge expressed his desire to establish Father’s Day as a national event. However, the idea was initially rejected. It was only in 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared that the day would be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law recognizing Father’s Day as a national celebration in the United States.
The Dodd family home was included in the Register of Historic Places in 2010 as part of the centennial celebration of the first Father’s Day in Spokane.
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