Recognizing Leaders … with a Day Off!
This Monday marks Presidents’ Day (or President’s Day … or Presidents Day, depending on who you talk to), which is held annually on the third Monday in February. The federal government still refers to the holiday as George Washington’s Birthday, but several of the states have chosen to recognize Abraham Lincoln, as well as other presidents, and refer to the holiday as “Presidents’ Day. In California, government agencies call the holiday Presidents’ Day, however Education Code § 37220 still refers to the third Monday in February as “Washington Day,” and dictates that “[o]n the Friday preceding, all public schools and educational institutions throughout the state shall hold exercises in memory of George Washington.”
Holidays honoring individuals differ by state – and even by county in some instances. Many celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday in January and Columbus Day on the second Monday in October. Additional individuals are honored regionally, including:
In California, schools and government offices close on March 31st in honor of Cesar Chavez, the founder of the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), the precursor to United Farm Workers.
Earlier in March, Cook County (Chicago) offices close on the first Monday in March in memory of Casimir Pulaski, a Revolutionary War hero from Poland. The accomplishments of Casimir Pulaski may be unknown in many parts of the United States, but in 2009, Congress passed a joint resolution proclaiming the Polish military officer to be an honorary citizen.
Massachusetts celebrates Patriots’ Day on the third Monday in April. Patriots’ Day commemorates the April 19, 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord. Today, the holiday is better known outside New England as the date for the annual running of the Boston Marathon.
We do hope you have a wonderful Monday, February 16, whether you are off work celebrating Washington or Lincoln … or sitting at your desk. Our offices at LIS, as well as state and federal capital offices across the nation, will be closed. Our online store will be open for business, 24/7, as usual.