Mother’s Day is a time to reflect on mothers around the world and pay tribute to them. It all started with three women—who championed efforts toward better health, welfare, peace, and love, Ann Reeves Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, and Ann’s daughter, Anna M. Jarvis.
Mother’s Day in the United States goes all the way back to the 19th century, according to (www.History.com). “Before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia, helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs”. These clubs were to teach local women how to properly care for their children.” Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” in 1870, asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace.
Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis who had organized women’s groups to promote friendship and health, originated Mother’s Day. After her mother died, Miss Anna Jarvis wished to memorialize her mother’s life. She started campaigning for a national day to honor all mothers. “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial for Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she rendered to humanity in every field of life,” “She is entitled to it,” Ann Jarvis once said. Anna’s ideas were less about commercialization and more about simply honoring the role of motherhood and the sacrifices mothers had made. In 1907, Anna Jarvis began the campaign to have Mother’s Day officially recognized, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson did this, proclaiming it a national holiday and a “public expression of our love and reverence for all mothers.”(www.History.com)
“Mother’s Day has endured and evolved throughout history. Just as Mother’s Day started with multiple women, the modern Mother’s Day celebrates the varied roles of mothers today. “We commemorate the many ways mothers have fought to better their lives and the lives of their children, from social welfare to non-violence,” says the (www.almanac.com).
Let us not only give tribute to our mothers, let us also become more aware of all mothers and what they may be going through. Let us get back to the original meaning of Mother’s Day, STOP THE VIOLENCE AND CREATE WORLD PEACE. So, if you or someone you know is in need of help from any type of violence reach out to one of the resources listed below.
Local and National/State Resources:
- THE SAFE PLACE, INC., CONWAY COUNTY: 501-354-1884 -or- 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 1-888-554-2501
- THE SAFE PLACE, INC., PERRY COUNTY: 501-889-2030
- NATIONAL/STATE HOTLINES:
- NATIONAL RAPE CRISIS HOTLINE: 1-800-656-4673
- NATIONAL ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
- NATIONAL TEEN ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-866-331-9474
- CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-800-482-5964
- ELDER ABUSE HOTLINE (DOMESTIC): 1-800-332-4443
References
A&E Television Networks. (2023). Mother’s Day 2023 – date, founding & traditions. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day
Catherine Boeckmann (2023). Mother’s Day 2023: When is mother’s day this year? Almanac.com. https://www.almanac.com/content/when-is-mothers-day
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