Google Preferred SourcesComments
ForumsShare

Veterans Day: 5 Interesting facts about the holiday's history

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Twitter

Once observed in October

Reuters/Brendan McDermid
Reuters/Brendan McDermid

Although long observed every Nov. 11 on the anniversary of the World War I armistice, for a brief period of time, Veterans Day was actually observed at the federal level in October.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved multiple holidays to Mondays to give federal government employees more three-day weekends.

“The bill moved Veterans Day, at least on a federal level, to the last Monday in October, with the first observance of the new date in 1971,” explained the Constitution Center.

“Veterans groups moved quickly to oppose the date switch, and two states refused to switch their dates in 1971. By 1974, there was confusion over the two dates and most states took a pass on commemorating the holiday in October.”

By 1975, the backlash to the change became intense enough that Congress amended the law to move Veterans Day back to Nov. 11, with the return becoming finalized in 1978.

Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook

Was this article helpful?

Become a CP Insider.
Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

The truth has a cost, and Insiders help carry it.
A dollar from an Insider comes with no strings attached. It keeps our reporters on the story, keeps our journalism open to everyone, and keeps every editorial decision in the newsroom, where it belongs.

Become a CP Insider and choose the amount you want to pay. You can change, pause or cancel anytime. As a thank-you, you’ll get:

  • The Insider Newsletter, a members-only monthly letter from our newsroom

  • Ad-free reading across christianpost.com


From as low as $8.25/month
Prefer to give once?

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles.
Return to homepage.