Presidents Day confusion grips America as states clash over how – and whom – to honor every February. While the federal government still officially recognizes Washington’s Birthday, most Americans now encounter a patchwork of celebrations as polarizing as the presidents themselves.
The concept of Presidents Day is a confusing mishmash of ideas, says Washington State Representative Hunter Abell during recent hearings.
By celebrating all the presidents, we inadvertently celebrate none.This identity crisis stems from the 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act, shifting celebrations from Washington’s actual February 22 birthday to generic mid-month Mondays.
Today’s fragmented traditions reveal surprising state quirks:
- 19 states use Presidents Day
- 34 retain references to Washington
- Arkansas honors civil rights icon Daisy Gaston Bates alongside Washington
- Delaware canceled president-specific holidays entirely
Abraham Lincoln dominates state-level tributes, with 14 states granting him separate holidays. Indiana strategically places Lincoln’s observance after Thanksgiving – a nod to his 1863 proclamation creating the national holiday. Everybody is happy to see Lincoln, confirms presidential impersonator John Cooper.
He crosses party lines in ways modern politicians can’t.
State holiday variations extend beyond famous leaders. Massachusetts uses JFK’s birthday to honor four native presidents, while Oklahoma proposes a Donald Trump Day. Some tributes fade into obscurity – Iowa’s Herbert Hoover Day goes largely unnoticed outside Cedar County, home to his presidential library.
Mount Vernon officials argue the Monday shift dilutes Washington’s legacy, advocating a return to February 22. Historical sites nonetheless capitalize on public fascination, with professional Lincoln impersonators outnumbering portrayers of all other presidents combined.
This decentralized system reflects America’s complex relationship with leadership itself – celebrating visionaries like Washington and Lincoln while questioning how to memorialize controversial figures. As state legislatures debate the holiday’s purpose, one truth emerges: No consensus exists on what – or who – makes a president worth remembering.