The History of Our National Tribute to the Armed Forces of the United States
On November 11 every year, we set aside the day to pay homage to the men and women who have and continue to serve in our armed forces, helping ensure our freedom and protect our democracy. How did Veterans Day originate? When did it become an official holiday? What events are traditional on Veterans Day?
The Origins of Veterans Day
November 11 commemorates the day, in 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson spoke to the nation on the one-year anniversary of the armistice signed to officially end the First World War. Though the Treaty of Versailles wasn’t signed until June, 1919, all hostilities between Germany and the Allied forces ended seven months earlier. The original plans for a Veterans Day celebration included parades to honor veterans, as well as a suspension of all business at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day. The day was unofficially recognized until 1926, when Congress issued a resolution proclaiming the national holiday.
In 1938, Congress passed a law officially calling the holiday “Armistice Day,” as it was then set aside almost exclusively to honor veterans of World War I. In 1954, in the aftermath of both the Second World War and the Korean War, Congress amended the earlier statute to replace “armistice” with “veteran.”
The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 changed the official date of Veterans Day from November 11 to the 4th Monday of October, in an effort to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. It was moved back to November 11 in 1978. Currently, the holiday is celebrated on November 11, unless that day falls on the weekend. Federal workers will then have either Friday or Monday off from work.
How Is Veterans Day Traditionally Celebrated?
Because it’s a federal holiday, all non-essential federal agencies and entities are closed and many schools as well. It’s a mail holiday as well. While it’s not required, it is recommended, in the statute creating the holiday, that two minutes of silence be observed at 2:11 pm EST, the time the armistice was signed in 1918. The National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery includes a parade of colors, as well as the laying of a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. New York City hosts the nation’s largest Veterans Day parade, with approximately 20,000 participants.
