The History of Mother's Day
I am happy to share a little history about Mother's Day, especially
since it was Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia (I'm from Philadelphia area) who proposed and campaigned for the idea !
If you take a walk in center city Philadelphia, you will see numerous signs posted by The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission commemorating important historical people, buildings, and points of interest that contributed to Pennsylvania history.
Ann Jarvis is on one of those signs at the corner of Juniper street and Market Street marking her contribution to the history of Mother's Day!
Who was Ann Jarvis and who was Anna Jarvis ?
Why did Anna Jarvis petition for a national Mother's Day?
Ann Reeves Jarvis was a homemaker in Appalachia in West Virginia during the Civil War. As a Sunday school teacher and community activist, Ann Jarvis became concerned about the poor living conditions of most families in Appalachia as well as the high infant mortality rate, lack of knowledge for sanitary living, etc.
She took it upon herself to organize " Mother's Day Work Clubs" in West Virginia to help educate and young mothers and to help with ideas to combat the unsanitary conditions.
Ann Reeves was known throughout the region as "Mother Jarvis." She also thought mother's should be recognized for the sacrifice they made for their children everyday and especially during war time.
When Ann Jarvis died in 1905, Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, her daughter, wanted to find a way to memorialize her mom's dedication to helping mother's and accomplishments in life and fought for a national day that would honor all mothers.
Anna is quoted regarding mothers, “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it”
Thanks to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, mother's got a day of national day of recognition-
I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there.
Good to know and thank you for sharing it, Judee. I hope that you had a great celebration.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting story! I had no idea about the origin of mother's day....thanks for sharing it!.......Abrazotes, Marcela
ReplyDeleteInteresting to know and thank you for sharing, Judee.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday!
Thank you! I never stopped to think about the origin of Mother's Day! What an amazing story, now you'll have to research the origin of Father's Day!
ReplyDeleteJenna
Wow, I had no idea that Mother's Day had its roots in Philadelphia! Or that it didn't start, as some like to say, as the result of a Hallmark marketing gimmick, but to honor one courageous woman's crusade against infant mortality. Thanks so very much for this informative post! And I hope you had a magnificent Mother's Day! :)
ReplyDelete