Mother's Day is celebrated in about 45 countries on the second Sunday in May and in about 15 other countries on other days.
The modern-day origins of Mother's Day can be attributed to two women – Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis, who were important in establishing the tradition in the United States. Around 1870, Julia Ward Howe called for Mother's Day to be celebrated each year. It continued to be held in Boston for about 10 years under her sponsorship, but died out after that.
Other sources say that Juliet Calhoun Blakely initiated Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the late 1800s. Her sons paid tribute to her each year and urged others to honor their mothers.
In 1907, Anna Jarvis held a private Mother's Day celebration in memory of her mother, Ann Jarvis, in Grafton, West Virginia. In 1908, she played a key role in arranging a church service that attracted 407 children and their mothers. A Mother’s Day International Association was founded in 1912 to promote the holiday in other countries.
DID YOU KNOW: President Franklin Roosevelt was partially responsible for the design of the 1934 Mother's Day stamp which features a paintng by James Whistler.
(featured left). For more information about FDR's involvement click these two links:: FDR and stamp.
