The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington, on June 19, 1910. It was the brainchild of Sonora Smart Dodd, a young woman who was inspired to create a holiday to honor her father, William Jackson Smart. Smart was a Civil War veteran who raised his six children on his own after his wife died when Sonora was just 10 years old.
Dodd was attending a Mother’s Day service at her church in 1909 when she was struck by the fact that there was no equivalent holiday for fathers. She decided to take matters into her own hands and organize a special day to honor fathers. She contacted local churches, businesses, and civic groups, and they all agreed to support her idea.
The first Father’s Day was a simple affair. A small group of people gathered at the YMCA in Spokane to celebrate the fathers in their lives. They sang songs, read poems, and gave speeches in honor of their fathers. The event was a success, and Father’s Day quickly spread to other parts of the country.
It wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon signed a bill making Father’s Day a national holiday. Today, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in the United States and in many other countries around the world. It is a day to honor all fathers, both biological and adoptive, for their love and support.