We must thank Anna Jarvis and her love for her mother that we celebrate and pay homage to our mothers on this special day.

The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service in 1908 requested by Anna Jarvis, of Philadelphia, to honor her deceased mother. Jarvis, at an early age, had heard her mother express hope that a day to commemorate all mothers would be established. Her mother had also expressed the sentiment that there were many days dedicated to men but none to mothers.

Two years after her mother’s death, Anna Jarvis and her friends began a letter-writing campaign to declare a national Mother’s Day observance to honor all mothers.

In 1914, Congress passed legislation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Source: U.S. Census May 2, 2005 CB05-FF.05