Expert declares real meaning of Presidents Day nearly forgotten

"The day has become a holiday celebrated by retail discounts and coupons," says Buddy Howell, instructor of communication who studies presidential communication. "Unfortunately, we forget the freedom we enjoy as a result of these presidents' service to the country. And that's sad because the two presidents honored on Presidents Day are integral to our national ethos, our national character."

Presidents Day is Feb. 20, and many government offices are closed in observance. George Washington, first president of the United States, was born Feb. 22, 1732, and Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States, was born Feb. 12, 1809. The two birthday celebrations were combined into one day in the 1970s.

"By designating the day as Presidents Day, as opposed to separate birthday celebrations, it is too easy to associate the day with a current president," Howell says. "When part of the citizen body is disgruntled with a current president, many reject the day out of disapproval of the administration then in the White House."

Howell suggests that Presidents Day celebrations be emphasized more with community educational programs, and even focus on the contributions Lincoln and Washington made to freeing slaves.

"February is Black History Month and an appropriate time to focus on Lincoln, who is known as the Great Emancipator because he freed black Americans from slavery," Howell says. "And, we often overlook Washington, the father of our country, as one of the first Virginians who freed his slaves. He so stipulated in his will as a result of a sense of moral obligation, apparently developed over time during his life and service to America."

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Buddy Howell, (765) 494-7781, bhowell@cla.purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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