The True Meaning of Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, we thought we’d share the story of the true meaning of this holiday. In 1870, Julia Ward Howe, a suffragette and abolitionist, issued one of the first calls for a celebration of mothers. Julia wrote a proclamation titled "Mother's Day for Peace” as a pacifist reaction to the Civil War. She called on mothers to have a voice in their societies and to use that voice to oppose war and speak for peace.

In 1914, Anna Jarvis convinced the U.S. Congress to pass a joint resolution establishing an official Mother's Day. Anna's campaign for Mother's Day drifted away from emphasizing women's roles as peacemakers as Julia Ward Howe had done, and focused instead on women’s role in the family.

Here at WAND, we still like to recognize Julia Ward Howe's mission to encourage women to promote peace. We need a budget that builds our economy prosperity while still keeping us secure. Rather than wasting billions on weapons that don’t work and that we don’t need, we need a budget that invests in jobs, education, and infrastructure.

In the spirit of the true meaning of Mother’s Day, we encourage you to honor your mother or your own children and grandchildren by advocating for a responsible and sensible budget. Take a look at our WAND Action Center website to learn how you can take action for Mother's Day today!