It's hard to imagine a world without Mother's Day! For many years, however, the women who make the world work went largely unrecognized. Luckily, a few determined women decided that it was time for a change.
Ann Reeves Jarvis
During the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis hosted "Mothers' Day Work Clubs" during which she would teach local women how to properly care for their children. These gatherings evolved after the Civil War into "Mothers' Friendship Day", a time when local women and soldiers from both the Confederacy and the Union would come together to pursue reconciliation.
Julia Ward Howe
In 1870, Julia Ward Howe issued the "Mother's Day Proclamation," calling on women around the world to unite in promoting world peace. Howe also campaigned for an official "Mother's Peace Day" to be held on June 2.
Anna Jarvis
The daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna Jarvis is the reason we celebrate Mother's Day in its current incarnation. She created the holiday in 1908, envisioning a holiday that honored the sacrifices mothers make for their children. Jarvis argued that American holidays were biased toward male achievements and wanted women to receive recognition for the difficult work of childcare and homemaking. She launched a huge letter writing campaign and started the Mother's Day International Association to work toward having Mother's Day recognized as an official state holiday--which it finally was in 1914.
Since its creation, Mother's Day has also been used as a time to spotlight political and feminist causes. In 1968, Coretta Scott King planned a Mother's Day march to support underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s, feminist groups used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and for wider access to childcare.
Whether the special women in your life are advocates for world peace, caregivers extraordinaire, or their own brand of wonderful, we at Michler's are here to help you celebrate them with gifts as unique as the ladies you love. Take a look at our Mother's Day Collection where we gathered our favorite Mother's Day designs.