Veterans Day (11 November)

Veterans Day is an annual memorial in the United States that pays tribute to all those who served in the armed forces, especially living veterans. Veterans Day is a national holiday held on November 11. Veterans Day thus coincides with similar anniversaries in the rest of the world, such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which, like Veterans Day, commemorate the end of the First World War. When first celebrated as Armistice Day, the day marked the end of World War I, formally recognized on the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month” in 1918. 

History

Woodrow Wilson introduced Armistice Day in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I and 30 states made it a legal holiday. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 inviting all Americans to watch and made it a national holiday in 1938, to be observed on November 11 each year. In 1953 Emporia, Kansas decided to hold a memorial for the veterans on Armistice Day. Member of Congress for Emporia, Ed Rees, repeatedly tried to get a bill through the House of Representatives that would change the name to Veterans Day. Finally, on June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day.

When all holidays, except New Years Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Independence Day, were moved to Monday to allow for an extra long weekend, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday in October. After protests from veterans groups, the holiday was moved back to November 11, mainly to make the day more attractive. Just the opposite was the case. Only banks and government agencies are still closed on that day in most states. Schools and companies usually remain open, which means that public transport does not have an adjusted timetable.