Father’s Day is a cherished holiday in the United States, dedicated to honoring fathers and father figures, though this year, the day falls on June 21, which is the latest possible date for the holiday. The date varies each year because the holiday is always held on the third Sunday of June, as established in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed it into law as an official federal holiday.

Origins of Father’s Day

The holiday was first in 1909 by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, though Dodd’s father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran and a widower who raised six children alone. After attending a Mother’s Day service in 1909, Dodd felt that fathers also deserved a day of recognition; she began lobbying local shopkeepers, churches, and government officials, and in 1910, the first Father’s Day was celebrated in Washington on June 19.

However, the first documented event honoring fathers in the U.S. occurred even earlier; In July 1908, a church in West Virginia held a service to honor 362 men who had died in the Monongah Mine Disaster. This event was months before the first Mother’s Day in Grafton, West Virginia, though Though this was not a widely celebrated or repeated event, it is considered by some as the first recognition of fathers in the U.S.

Path to National Recognition

Despite the early efforts of Dodd and others, Father’s Day faced pushback in the 1920s and 1930s; many people opposed the idea of separate holidays for mothers and fathers, arguing for a combined Parents’ Day instead. It wasn’t until 1972—more than 60 years after Dodd’s initial campaign,that President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making the third Sunday of June the official date for Father’s Day. In his proclamation. Nixon encouraged Americans to “renew the love and gratitude we bear to our fathers, increasing and enduring through all the years.”.

Dodd continued her advocacy for decades, and by the time the holiday was officially recognized, she was 90 years old; she passed away six years later at age 96.

Why the Date Changes Every Year

Because Father’s Day is always held on the third Sunday of June, the specific date changes each year. The earliest it can fall is June 15, and the latest is June 21. In 2026, it will land on the latest possible date. In 2025, it was celebrated on June 15,the earliest possible date,and in 2027, it will fall on June 20.

This system makes the date easier to remember than if it were fixed on a specific day each year. It also allows for flexibility, as it can be celebrated on a Sunday, ensuring that most families can participate without weekday conflicts.

While the holiday has evolved into a widely recognized occasion for expressing gratitude to fathers, its origins remain rooted in the personal efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd, who sought to honor the sacrifices made by fathers across the country.