It is common knowledge that in the United States and many other countries, Father’s Day is annually celebrated on the third Sunday in June. Honoring fatherhood, celebrating paternal bonds, and recognizing the positive influence fathers and father figures have in our lives and society, it is a dedicated time to show appreciation for the sacrifices made to nurture, protect, and raise children.

What isn’t so widely known is how and when the celebration of Father’s Day came into being.

Father’s Day was primarily inspired by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, in 1909. Raised by a widowed Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised six children, she sought to establish a male equivalent to Mother’s Day.

The first statewide celebration occurred on June 19, 1910.

While Dodd’s campaign is widely recognized as the driving force behind the modern holiday, the very first recorded U.S. observance honoring fathers actually took place on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia. It was organized by Grace Golden Clayton to honor the 362 men—many of whom were fathers—who perished in the Monongah mining disaster months prior.

The journey to an official holiday was a long one:

1924: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea, encouraging states to observe the day.

1966: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation establishing the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.

1972: U.S. President Richard Nixon signed it into permanent national law.

Happy Father’s Day!

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