History of Mother's Day Timeline

(1907 - Present)

Mother's Day is a holiday honoring mothers and motherhood, with roots in ancient Greek and Roman festivals celebrating mother goddesses. The modern American holiday was championed by Anna Jarvis, who held the first official Mother's Day celebration in 1908 in West Virginia. After her persistent campaigning, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Mother's Day a national holiday in 1914, to be celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Today it is observed worldwide, though commercialization led Jarvis herself to later denounce the holiday she created. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Ancient Origins

Mothering Sunday emerges in England

Jan 1, 1600

In 17th-century England, servants were given the fourth Sunday of Lent off to visit their 'mother church' and their mothers. Known as Mothering Sunday, workers would bring gifts such as simnel cake and flowers to their mothers.

Image source: Mothering Sunday

American Movement

Anna Jarvis is born in Webster, West Virginia

May 1, 1864

Anna Marie Jarvis was born in Webster, West Virginia. She would later found the modern Mother's Day holiday in memory of her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, who had dreamed of a day honoring mothers' contributions.

Image source: Anna Jarvis

Anna Jarvis is born in Webster, West Virginia

Ann Reeves Jarvis organizes Mothers' Day Work Clubs

Jan 1, 1868

In West Virginia, Ann Reeves Jarvis organized Mothers' Day Work Clubs to improve health and sanitation conditions and to promote reconciliation between Union and Confederate families after the Civil War.

Julia Ward Howe proposes a Mother's Peace Day

Jun 2, 1872

Author of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic,' Julia Ward Howe issued her Mothers' Day Proclamation calling for women to unite for peace after the Civil War. She proposed an annual Mother's Peace Day, observed informally in Boston for about a decade.

Image source: Julia Ward Howe

First official Mother's Day service at Andrews Church

May 10, 1908

Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, handing out white carnations, her mother's favorite flower. A larger celebration was held the same day in Philadelphia, where Jarvis lived.

Image source: African Methodist Episcopal Church

Philadelphia's Wanamaker's store hosts first big Mother's Day event

May 10, 1908

Merchant John Wanamaker sponsored a Mother's Day celebration attended by thousands at his Philadelphia department store, demonstrating the commercial potential of the holiday and helping spread its popularity nationwide.

Image source: John Wanamaker

West Virginia governor declares first statewide Mother's Day

Apr 26, 1910

Governor William E. Glasscock of West Virginia issued the first statewide proclamation of Mother's Day. Other states, cities, and churches soon followed, observing the second Sunday in May.

Image source: William E. Glasscock

Mother's Day International Association founded

May 12, 1912

Anna Jarvis founded the Mother's Day International Association to promote the holiday and standardize its observance on the second Sunday in May, trademarking the phrases 'second Sunday in May' and 'Mother's Day'.

Official Recognition

Carnation becomes the official symbol of Mother's Day

May 1, 1914

White carnations, Anna Jarvis's mother's favorite flower, became the traditional emblem of Mother's Day. Wearing a white carnation honored deceased mothers, while red or pink carnations honored living ones.

Woodrow Wilson proclaims Mother's Day a national holiday

May 9, 1914

President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, a national holiday honoring mothers. Congress had passed a joint resolution requesting the observance earlier that month.

Image source: Woodrow Wilson

Commercialization sparks Anna Jarvis's opposition

Jan 1, 1920

Disillusioned by florists, candy makers, and card companies profiting from the holiday she created, Anna Jarvis launched campaigns against what she called a commercialized mockery, even threatening lawsuits against organizations using the name.

Jarvis spends fortune fighting the holiday she founded

Jan 1, 1923

Anna Jarvis spent her personal wealth and energy protesting Mother's Day commercialization, organizing boycotts and crashing candy conventions. She was arrested for disturbing the peace at a war mothers' convention protest in 1948 and died penniless that year.

Eleanor Roosevelt champions Mother's Day during Depression era

May 14, 1933

During the Great Depression, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt used Mother's Day messages to highlight the struggles of American families, encouraging citizens to support struggling mothers and promoting social welfare programs.

Image source: Eleanor Roosevelt

Mother's Day boosts morale on the World War II home front

May 1, 1942 - Aug 15, 1945

Throughout World War II, Mother's Day took on patriotic significance as Americans honored mothers whose sons served overseas. Letters, telegrams, and care packages surged around the holiday as soldiers wrote home.

Image source: United States home front during World War II

Mother's Day boosts morale on the World War II home front

Hallmark popularizes Mother's Day greeting cards

Jan 1, 1950

Greeting card companies like Hallmark helped make Mother's Day one of the most card-heavy holidays of the year. It eventually became the third most popular card-sending occasion in the United States after Christmas and Valentine's Day.

Image source: Hallmark Cards

Telephones ring busiest on Mother's Day

May 8, 1955

By the mid-1950s, telephone companies reported that Mother's Day generated the highest call volume of any day of the year, as millions of children called their mothers, a trend that continues today.

Image source: Telephone call

Global Traditions

Mother's Day spreads throughout Europe

Jan 1, 1920 - Dec 31, 1960

Between the World Wars, Mother's Day observances spread to France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and other European countries, often encouraged by florist associations and, in some cases, by governments seeking to boost birth rates.

Mother's Day celebrated across Latin America

May 10, 1922

Mexico and several other Latin American countries adopted May 10 as a fixed date for Mother's Day, influenced by journalist Rafael Alducín's 1922 campaign in Mexico. The holiday is marked with serenades, family meals, and church services.

Yugoslavia holds Children's Day and Mother's Day in December

Dec 1, 1945 - Dec 31, 1985

Socialist Yugoslavia combined celebrations into three consecutive Sundays in December: Children's Day, Mother's Day, and Fathers' Day, with children tying up parents until they promised treats and gifts.

Japan establishes Mother's Day after World War II

Mar 6, 1947

Postwar Japan adopted Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May, promoted initially through schools and churches. Carnations became central to Japanese celebrations, symbolizing maternal love and sacrifice.

Mothering Sunday revived in Britain and Ireland

Jan 1, 1950

In the mid-20th century, Britain and Ireland blended the old religious Mothering Sunday tradition with the American Mother's Day, adopting many of its customs such as cards, flowers, and gifts while keeping it on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

France adopts Fête des Mères officially

May 28, 1950

France formalized la Fête des Mères by law in 1950, setting it on the last Sunday in May unless it conflicts with Pentecost. Family gatherings and cakes decorated with 'Bonne fête Maman' became customary.

Thailand honors Queen Sirikit on Mother's Day

Aug 12, 1950

Thailand celebrates Mother's Day on August 12, the birthday of Queen Sirikit, regarded as the mother of the nation. The date was established in the 1950s, with jasmine flowers presented to mothers and public ceremonies held nationwide.

Image source: Sirikit

Ethiopia celebrates Antrosht multi-day festival

Oct 1, 1960 - Oct 31, 1960

In Ethiopia, the Antrosht festival honors mothers over several days in autumn after the rains. Families gather for large feasts where children bring ingredients and sing songs celebrating maternal love and family ties.

Image source: Ethiopia

International Women's Day gains global prominence

Mar 8, 1977

After the United Nations recognized March 8 as International Women's Day in 1977, many countries began treating it as an occasion to honor mothers alongside all women, especially across Eastern Europe and former Soviet states.

Image source: International Women's Day

Russia marks Mother's Day in November

Nov 30, 1998

Russia officially established Mother's Day on the last Sunday of November in 1998, complementing International Women's Day on March 8, which remains the more widely observed holiday honoring women.

Image source: Mother's Day

Mother's Day becomes major global consumer holiday

May 1, 2000

By the turn of the millennium, Mother's Day had become one of the biggest holidays for restaurants, florists, and retailers worldwide. In the United States alone, spending reached tens of billions of dollars annually, with phone calls peaking worldwide.

Mother's Day observed in more than 50 countries

May 1, 2021

Today Mother's Day is celebrated on various dates in over 50 countries around the world, from carnation-filled services in Japan to jasmine ceremonies in Thailand, standing as a universal tribute to mothers and maternal bonds.

Key Facts

The first official Mother's Day service was held on May 10, 1908, at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, organized by Anna Jarvis.
President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation in 1914 officially designating the second Sunday of May as Mother's Day, a national holiday in the United States.
Ancient civilizations, including the Greeks and Romans, held festivals honoring mother goddesses such as Rhea and Cybele, which were early precursors to Mother's Day.
Anna Jarvis became disillusioned with the holiday's commercialization and spent her later years campaigning against it, even organizing boycotts of florists and card companies.
Mother's Day is now one of the most commercially successful holidays in the United States and is celebrated in many countries around the world on various dates.

Source

This History of Mother's Day timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free