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MOTHER'S DAY HISTORY
The 'Mother's Day' was first proclaimed in 1870 in the United States. And it was Julia Ward
Howe who proclaimed the same in Boston. Howe also called for it to be observed each year at
the national level in 1872. In fact the original idea behind Howe's "Mother's Day" was a call for
Pacifism and disarmament by all the women. Women's peace groups mostly marked early
"Mother's Day". At the early times it was a common activity to have the meeting of groups of
mothers. And in such meetings those mothers were supposed to participate whose sons had
fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

Later Anna Jarvis in Grafton, West Virginia, to commemorate the anniversary of her mother's
death two years earlier on May 9, 1905, first celebrated Mother's Day in 1907 in a small private
way. Jarvis's mother, whose name was also 'Anna Jarvis', was an active participant in the
Mother's Day campaigns. These Mother's Day campaigns were usually held for the purpose of
peace and workers' health and safety measures. Inspired with her mother's death and in order
to pay tribute to her the younger Jarvis launched a quest to get wider recognition of Mother's
Day.

For this purpose the younger Jarvis organized a grand celebration on May 10, 1908 at the
Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton. This celebration involved around 407 children along with
their mothers. This unique campaign in order to get recognition of Mother's Day was financed by
a renowned clothing merchant named John Wanamaker.

Gradually in the course of time as the custom of Mother's Day celebration spread, its focus
shifted from the pacifisms and reform movements to a general appreciation, admiration and
honoring of mothers.

It was in 1910 by West Virginia that this holiday got first official recognition.

Later on May 14, 1914 the U.S. president Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation that
designated the second Sunday in May as the Mother's Day.

There is an interesting tradition related to Mother's Day celebration, which calls for the wearing
of carnations on this day. So on the Mother's Day people wear two types of carnations. And
they separately represent the following«

Red - In case one's mother is alive.

White - In case one's mother is dead.
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