Why do we celebrate Presidents Day? Everything to know about the federal holiday and more
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Correction: State and federal offices are closed for Presidents Day, some city governments remain open. A previous version of this article misstated which offices were closed.
Today is Presidents Day where we recognize the 46 people that have held the highest position in the nation and for some it means a three-day weekend.
This "holiday" has grown and changed over the years just as the nation has. While Presidents Day now commemorates all the nation's 46 chief executives, both past and present, it wasn't always that way. When it first started in 1879, the holiday was meant to celebrate just one man: George Washington.
Take a look at why Presidents Day is recognized by some, but not all states, what is typically closed and open today, and just why we celebrate it in the first place.
From Washington's Birthday to Presidents Day and why we celebrate
The U.S. has celebrated Presidents Day for 145 years in honor of the nation's first president, George Washington.
The day was initially established in 1879 to celebrate the birthday of Washington. For many the holiday was simply called "Washington's Birthday," which is still how the federal government refers to it, according to the Department of State.
Over the years, the holiday has expanded in the minds of the nation. At one point in time, there was a vote in Congress to change the holiday to celebrate both Washington's birthday (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln's (Feb. 12). Now it is a time, were people remember the people who have held the title as president.
Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February every year.
Is Presidents Day a federal holiday?
Presidents Day is a federal holiday, but it didn't start out as one.
Many celebrated and observed the birthday of the venerated American Revolution leader on Feb. 22 after he died in 1799. The day was an unofficial observance for much of the 1800s. In the late 1870s, Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas proposed that it become a federal holiday. In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law, according to GovInfo.gov.
At the beginning, it was only a federal holiday for Washington, D.C. It wasn't until 1885 that it became recognized nationwide.
What is closed on Presidents Day?
For many who work in government, banks and schools it is a day off. For others, it's just another Monday.
In Tennessee, state and federal government offices are closed for Presidents Day. Not all local government offices are closed, however, and you should check your local government website for more information.
Here are some more things closed in Tennessee today:
Post offices, and no mail delivery except for Priority Mail Express.
Non-emergency Tennessee executive government offices, state courts and the Tennessee General Assembly.
Banks: Many national banks like Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America and Truist, are closed on Feb. 19, along with local banks. Contact your local bank to see if they are open.
Other national groups have kept their doors open today. Check out who else is open and closed today here.
Many public schools across the state also close for the federal holiday except if they need to make up days due to inclement weather, which has plagued most of the state since the start of 2024.
Presidents Day sales
Federal holidays, usually mean there is a sale somewhere and Presidents Day is no different. So, if you don't have the day off, you can at least snag a deal on your next meal or even a television.
Here are some deals happening now:
Deals on TVs: Presidents day TV deals on LG, Sony, and more
Food deals: Presidents Day promotions include sandwich, food and drink specials
More deals: Check out more than 50 Presidents Day deals happening now
Which states don't celebrate Presidents Day?
Tennessee recognizes Presidents Day (but spells it President's Day), but nine states don’t observe the holiday at all.
These states aren't the only ones looking to give the holiday the boot. In a 2012, 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll, 35% of surveyed Americans said they’d choose to get rid of Presidents’ Day over other holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Presidents Day 2024: Why we celebrate, deals, what's closed, more
