By Mary Torres, Special to MyRGV.com
Today is Father’s Day and coincidentally, also the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere! The first known Father’s Day service occurred in Fairmont, West Virginia, on July 5, 1908, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accident in U.S. history. The Sunday service happened because of the efforts of Grace Golden Clayton, the daughter of a dedicated reverend.
Several other people across the nation had similar ideas throughout the years, but Mrs. Sonora Louise Smart Dodd is credited for being the one to popularize it, starting events that led to Father’s Day becoming a U.S. national holiday. The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington, however, in spite of widespread support, Father’s Day did not become a permanent national holiday for many years.
The first bill was introduced in Congress in 1913, but in spite of encouragement by President Woodrow Wilson, it did not pass. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation designating the third Sunday in June to honor fathers. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law declaring that Father’s Day be celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June. It has been an official, permanent national holiday ever since.
This year, with the increase in the number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the decrease in cases, and changes in CDC and local guidelines regarding the Pandemic, we’ll be able to resume some of the Father’s Day celebrations and traditions observed in the past. On Father’s Day, many people make a special effort to honor their fathers or father figures.
Traditions vary from family to family and range from giving Dad a phone call, sending him a greeting card, giving him gifts such as sports items, clothing, electronic gadgets, outdoor cooking supplies, and tools, taking him out to eat, or throwing a party in his honor, hosting an outdoor movie night, or maybe giving him a day off without the burden of errands and chores. Of course, virtual options for celebrating Father’s Day are also still accessible. Please remember to record your memories of this event for future generations.
If you still haven’t decided on a gift for Dad here are some last-minute ideas for online gift certificates. These range from a subscription to a genealogy website such as Ancestry.com or MyHeritage.com to more unique offerings such as an all-access MasterClass pass for $15 a month where Dad can continue his education in anything from culinary arts to music production, and everything in between. For just $15 a month at www.masterclass.com, you’ll open up a world of learning and even better, he can take classes whenever he likes.
If your dad is a lifelong dog lover or the guy who “didn’t want a dog” he’ll be sure to appreciate a subscription to Bark Box. The subscription service exclusively for pups curates a box full of unique treats and toys. Subscriptions start at $23 per month and are available at barkbox.com. Dads who take their music very seriously would love to have a gift of endless online listening. Spotify.com is currently offering the first three months of their ad-free Premium music service for free with its premium subscription for $9.93 per month.
Happy Father’s Day to all birth fathers, stepfathers, adoptive and foster fathers, grandfathers, dual-role mothers and grandmothers and to those mentors who fill the role of absent fathers.
The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society will host its monthly meeting on Sunday, June 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum, 2425 Boxwood St. The guest speaker will be Hector Gutierrez who will present an interesting program about the history of the Balli Family. Visit the society’s Facebook page for more information.
