The history of Father's Day follows in the footsteps of the history of Mother's Day. Father's Day came about due to people wanting to recognize and celebrate the contribution fathers make.
A Fairmont, West Virginia church lays claim to the first Father's Day service, well before the day was officially recognized in the history of Father's Day. The city entrance even has highway signs memorializing the city as the home of the first Father's Day celebration. The church, Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South, known now as Central United Methodist Church, was celebrating and memorializing fathers who had died in a massive mine explosion, which had killed hundreds. Grace Golden Clayton approached her pastor about having a day to remember these fathers. This celebration was earlier in the history of Father's Day than some of the more official dates, and the credit for establishing Father's Day tends to focus on another individual.
Sonora Smart Dodd was a woman listening to a Mother's Day sermon in the early 1900s. She came up with the idea of a complementary Father's Day, to be celebrated in recognition of fathers. Sonora's mother had died in childbirth with her sixth child, and Sonora's father, Henry Jackson Smart, had taken care of the family of six children himself after her mother died. As an adult, Sonora realized and appreciated the sacrifices he must have made as a single father, and she wanted to recognize him for it, and by extension, recognize all good fathers. So she set to having such a celebration established. Apparently Father's Day was not initially met with as much enthusiasm as the introduction of Mother's Day celebrations.
Father's Day didn't become a permanent national observance until 1972, during Nixon's term, although President Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day as early as 1924. This day is noted both as having been Henry Jackson Smart's birthday, and as a day close to the birthday, being postponed until then in order to coordinate the celebration. Father's Day was recognized in 1956 by Congress, with a Joint Resolution, and a Presidential Proclamation was also signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966.
Traditionally, in the history of Father's Day, roses are used to honor and memorialize fathers: red roses for living fathers, and white roses for deceased fathers. This same color code is used for Mother's Day flowers, although traditionally with carnations, instead. Father's Day has become a time to recognize those who have acted like a father, as well, such as grandfathers and uncles. Father's Day, in some variation or another, is celebrated throughout the world in many countries. It is celebrated all throughout the calendar year, as well. It seems that the history of Father's Day in the U.S. rode the coattails of Mother's Day a bit, but it certainly makes for a natural counterpart to the celebration of mothers. Father's Day this year is June 20, 2010. Give Dad a call and make some plans for a cookout. Happy Father's Day!