Lincoln's Birthday
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday | |
---|---|
Official name | Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln |
Observed by | Various U.S. states |
Type | Local |
Significance | To honor Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States |
Date | February 12 |
Next time | February 12, 2025 |
Frequency | Annual |
Related to | Presidents' Day |
Lincoln's Birthday is a legal, public holiday in some U.S. states, observed on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville (Hodgensville, Hodgen's Mill), Kentucky.[1] Connecticut,[2] Illinois,[3] Indiana,[4] Michigan,[5] Ohio,[6] California,[7] Missouri,[8] and New York[9] observe the holiday.
In many other states, Lincoln's birthday is not celebrated separately, as a stand-alone holiday. Instead, Lincoln's birthday is combined with a celebration of President
History
The earliest known observance of Lincoln's birthday occurred in
The day is marked by traditional wreath-laying ceremonies at
On February 12, 2009, the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial commemorated Lincoln's 200th birthday in grand fashion. An extended ceremony, organized by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC) and with help from MOLLUS, featured musical performances from four-time Grammy-nominated singer Michael Feinstein and the U.S. Marine Corps Band. The morning celebration also featured remarks by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin; Lincoln scholar and ALBC Co-chair Harold Holzer; recently retired Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice – and ALBC Commissioner – Frank J. Williams; and author Nikki Giovanni reciting her newest work, which was written especially for the Bicentennial.
As part of Lincoln's birthday bicentennial, the U.S. Mint released four new
New Jersey started observing the holiday on May 23, 2008, with the enactment of the Public Employee Pension and Benefits Reform Act of 2008.[12]
Origin of Black History Month
Official government holidays
Lincoln's Birthday was never a
In Connecticut, Missouri and Illinois, while Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday, Lincoln's Birthday is still a state holiday, falling on February 12 regardless of the day of the week. California still lists Lincoln's Birthday as a holiday,[1] but as of 2009 no longer gives State employees a paid holiday on February 12.[15] However, it is considered a "Court holiday" and state courts are closed.[16]
In the following states, the third Monday in February is an official state holiday and known as:
Using "president"
- Presidents' Day in Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota,[17] Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Washington[18]
- President's Day in Alaska, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming
- Presidents Day in Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Oregon
- Washington's Birthday/President's Day in Maine
- Lincoln/Washington/Presidents' Day in Arizona
Washington and Lincoln
- Washington and Lincoln Day in Utah
- Washington–Lincoln Day in Colorado[19] and Ohio[20]
- Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday in Indiana[21]
- Lincoln's and Washington's Birthday in Montana
- Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday in Minnesota[22]
Washington alone
- George Washington Day in Virginia
Washington and another person
- George Washington/Thomas Jefferson Birthday in Alabama[23]
- George Washington's Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day in Arkansas
Unspecified
- "The third Monday in February" in California.[24]
Several states honor presidents with official state holidays that do not fall on the third Monday of February. In New Mexico, Presidents' Day, at least as a state-government paid holiday, is observed on the Friday following Thanksgiving.[25] In Georgia, Presidents' Day, at least as a state-government paid holiday, is observed on Christmas Eve. (Observed on the prior Thursday if Christmas falls on Saturday; observed on the prior Friday if Christmas falls on a Sunday. If December 24 is a Wednesday, then this holiday is observed on Friday December 26.)[26]
Cultural references
- In the Ring Lardner short story "Gullible's Travels", a vacationer from Chicago is unaware that Lincoln's Birthday is not observed in Florida.[27]
See also
- Public holidays in the United States
- Jefferson's Birthday
- United States commemorative coin
References
- ^ a b Cal. Gov. Code § 6700(c) Archived 2013-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Connecticut: Legal Holidays and Standard of Time". Cga.ct.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "105 ILCS 5/24-2". Ilga.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ Assembly, Indiana General. "Indiana Code 2017 - Indiana General Assembly, 2017 Session". In.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Michigan Legislature - Section 435.101". legislature.mi.gov.
- ^ "Section 5.23 - Ohio Revised Code | Ohio Laws". codes.ohio.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "When is Lincoln's Birthday & Why is it Celebrated? (History)". edarabia.com. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "State Holidays". Missouri Office of Administration. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ https://www.nyc.gov/assets/opa/downloads/pdf/2022-list-of-holidays.pdf
- ^ Continelli, Louise. "Lincoln Tribute Places Spotlight on Local Connection." www.buffalonews.com, February 17, 2003
- ^ AP/The Huffington Post. "New Lincoln Pennies Unveiled: See Pictures Of Each Penny" www.huffingtonpost.com, February 12, 2009
- ^ "P.L. 2008, c.89 (S1962 SCS)". Njleg.state.nj.us. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ a b c d Daryl Michael Scott, "The Origins of Black History Month," Archived 2013-02-14 at the Wayback Machine Association for the Study of African American Life and History, 2011, www.asalh.org/
- ^ 5 U.S.C. § 6103(a)
- ^ "How Abraham Lincoln lost his birthday holiday - National Constitution Center". National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Court Holidays - CA_courts". www.courts.ca.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
- ^ "404 - North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner". North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "RCW 1.16.050". Revised Code of Washington.
- ^ CRS 24-11-101
- ^ "Lawriter : ORC : Excluding first and including last day - legal holidays". codes.ohio.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "SPD: State Holidays". In.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "645.44 - 2017 Minnesota Statutes". Revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "State of Alabama - Inform.Alabama.Gov - State Calendar". inform.alabama.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ Cal. Gov. Code § 6700(a)(5) Archived 2013-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Official State Holidays". New Mexico State Treasurer's Office. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- ^ "State Holidays". Georgia.gov. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Gullible's Travels". Gullible's Travels, Etc. Bobbs-Merrill Company. 1917. § II.
External links
- Hannibal Hamlin Proposes Lincoln's Birthday a National Day of Observance 1887 Shapell Manuscript Foundation
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
- Original Manuscript Letters and Documents written by Abraham Lincoln Shapell Manuscript Foundation