On this special day, the Rezo Nòdwès newspaper would like to warmly greet all reading fathers residing in the United States. Your dedication, love and strength are daily sources of inspiration. May this Father’s Day be an opportunity for you to celebrate yourself and receive the appreciation and gratitude you so deserve.
Happy Father’s Day to all the heroes of everyday life!
Sonora Smart Dodd is a central figure in the history of celebrating Father’s Day in the United States. His initiative was inspired by his own father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised his six children alone after the death of his wife.
Sonora was born February 18, 1882 in Jenny Lind, Arkansas. After her mother died during childbirth of her sixth child, Sonora and her siblings were raised by their father, William Smart, who showed exceptional dedication as a single parent. Admiring her father’s love and sacrifices, Sonora wanted to honor all fathers like him.
In 1909, while attending a Mother’s Day sermon, she had the idea of creating a day dedicated to fathers. Sonora suggested June 5, her father’s birthday, to celebrate Father’s Day. However, due to insufficient preparations, the first celebration was postponed to the third Sunday of June.
The first official Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington, thanks to Sonora’s efforts. It quickly gained popularity, and many American states began observing this special day. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national day, although he did not issue an official proclamation.
It wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson officially designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day in the United States, and in 1972 President Richard Nixon made it a permanent national holiday. .
Sonora Smart Dodd’s initiative therefore not only honored his own father, but also established a lasting tradition that celebrates fathers and father figures across the country and, gradually, across the world.
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