Veterans Day Parade - New York 2023

Every year on November 11th, Americans celebrate Veterans Day. The holiday was created to commemorate the veterans who died during World War I. On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson gave a speech expressing what he thought the day meant for the US and all its citizens.

He celebrated those dying at war, saying that they fought for a better society, the opportunity to build a better world, and the possibilities of political freedom and economic growth.

The holiday has not become official until later, though. In 1926, Congress asked President Calvin Coolidge to celebrate Veterans Day, and 1938, it became a national holiday.

The holiday did not have any big ceremonies or traditions connected to it until the 1940s. In 1945, a World War II veteran, Raymond Weeks, had an idea to celebrate not only those who died in World War I but all the veterans. He presented the idea to General Dwight Eisenhower, who supported it, and in 1947 Weeks led the first parade dedicated to Veterans Day. Weeks led the parade until his death in 1985.

The date of the holiday has been changed twice throughout the years. In 1971 it was moved from November 11th to every fourth Monday of October. It was moved back to November 11th in 1978, and that date has remained since.

Veterans Day is celebrated both locally and nationally. There are parades and memorial services, as well as wreath-laying ceremonies. US citizens get a day off on November 11th or the Monday after it if it falls on the weekend. Some families celebrate the holiday at home with family gatherings, remembering those who died during the war.

Veterans Day is not the biggest US holiday, but a very important one. Every year, it reminds us that peace was achieved in a very hard way, with war taking the lives of thousands of people, and that peaceful times should remain.

Article by Mary Zakharova