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Whose Holiday Is It?
On February 15, schools across the U.S. will be closed. Ask people why, and many will tell you that it’s Presidents’ Day. But that’s not the actual name of the national holiday. The official name given by Congress is Washington’s Birthday. The holiday was first celebrated nationwide in 1885 to honor our first president, who was born on February 22, 1732.
Some states also chose to honor another famous president, Abraham Lincoln, on Presidents’ Day. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. But Presidents’ Day is now popularly seen as a day to recognize the achievements of all of America’s presidents, past and present.