Presidents' Day - A Day of Mourning?
Should I wear red white and blue, or black?
Sorry, not feeling it today.
It’s Presidents’ Day here in the states.
Whoopee!
Considering our current political climate, wearing all black, my face covered in a black veil seems apropos.
Presidents' Day, a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February, was established in 1885 to recognize President George Washington. In many states, it’s now a celebration of all U.S. presidents.
While often associated with Washington and Abraham Lincoln, other presidents also made significant contributions: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, to name a few.
But here’s the deal—
In order to celebrate these men, we must be willing to swallow a huge pill of historical baggage.
George Washington: The first president and a key figure in the founding of the United States. He's often praised for his leadership during the Revolutionary War and for setting precedents for the office of president. While he did own slaves, his overall contribution to the nation's founding is undeniable.
John Adams: The second president, was instrumental in negotiating the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War. He's also known for his defense of the soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre, ensuring they received a fair trial.
James Madison: Often called the "Father of the Constitution," played a crucial role in drafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He also led the country during the War of 1812.
Thomas Jefferson: While he owned slaves and expressed racist views, was also the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, a document that has inspired movements for freedom and equality around the world.
It seems Abraham Lincoln may be worthy of celebration—
Abraham Lincoln: He led the country through the Civil War and abolished slavery. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents in American history.
And yet—
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Booth, a famous actor and a Confederate sympathizer who opposed Lincoln's policies, particularly the abolition of slavery.
Booth's motive was primarily political.
He believed that by killing Lincoln, along with other key members of the government (his plan also included assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, could revive the Confederate cause and help the South win the Civil War.
I guess there’s no way one man or woman will ever make everyone happy.
So what to do on this day set aside to honor our former leaders? Do we blindly celebrate their triumphs, conveniently ignoring the immense suffering they inflicted? Do we cherry-pick the palatable parts of history, sanitizing the past to fit a more comfortable narrative? Or do we confront the brutal, truth of their legacies, acknowledging both the soaring rhetoric and the deeply ingrained prejudices that shaped their actions?
I want to stick my fingers in my ears, singing lalalalalalala until tomorrow arrives. Bad attitude? Maybe.
The past did happen —good and bad.
I can’t help but think our future historians will surmise our era competed with the past, hoping to out-shock, out-manipulate, out-lie, proving that in the race to the bottom, the only limit is our own depravity.
Sources: National Archives (archives.gov), Library of Congress (loc.gov), White House Historical Association (whitehousehistory.org), Miller Center (millercenter.org), National Park Service (nps.gov).
Deb Palmer is the co-author of “In Spite of Us- A Love Story about Second Chances.” She resides in Yakima, Washington with her husband/co-author, Sandy. Deb has published various fiction and nonfiction articles in numerous print magazines and online journals. In addition, she writes stories with humor and purpose for Medium.
In Spite Of Us: A Love Story about Second Chances
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