Federal holidays in the United States

Federal holidays in the United States. These are public holidays recognized by the U.S. federal government, during which non-essential federal offices are closed and federal employees are paid for the day off. The authority to designate these holidays resides with the United States Congress, and they are codified in Title 5 of the United States Code. While these holidays are binding only for federal institutions and the District of Columbia, they profoundly influence the schedules of state governments, financial markets like the New York Stock Exchange, and the broader national calendar.

List of federal holidays

There are eleven permanent federal holidays established by law. New Year's Day is observed on January 1, marking the start of the new year according to the Gregorian calendar. The birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. is commemorated on the third Monday of January, following the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Washington's Birthday, commonly known as Presidents' Day, is observed on the third Monday of February, honoring the first president, George Washington, and often other presidents like Abraham Lincoln. Memorial Day, on the last Monday of May, honors military personnel who died in service, with origins after the American Civil War. Juneteenth National Independence Day, established in 2021, commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Galveston. Independence Day on July 4 celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. Labor Day, the first Monday of September, honors the American labor movement. Columbus Day, on the second Monday of October, recognizes the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. Veterans Day on November 11 honors all military veterans and coincides with the armistice ending World War I. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, a tradition dating to proclamations by Abraham Lincoln and influenced by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony. Christmas Day, December 25, is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus.

History and establishment

The first federal holidays were declared by Congress in 1870, initially covering only federal employees in the District of Columbia and including New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, championed by legislators like Robert McClory and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, moved several holidays to Mondays to create long weekends. The establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day followed a long campaign led by figures such as John Conyers and Coretta Scott King, finally being signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The most recent addition, Juneteenth National Independence Day, was passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021 after decades of advocacy.

Observance and impact

Observance of these holidays triggers the closure of federal agencies, national institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, and non-essential operations of the United States Postal Service. The financial sector, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and major exchanges, halts trading. Many holidays, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day, are marked by official ceremonies at sites like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The long weekends created by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act significantly boost travel and retail activity, with Black Friday sales following Thanksgiving being a major economic event. Federal holiday schedules also dictate payroll processing for millions of employees and the operation of the Federal Reserve System.

Proposed and controversial holidays

Numerous proposals for new federal holidays are regularly introduced in Congress. Persistent campaigns have sought to establish Election Day as a holiday to increase voter turnout, an idea supported by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union. There is also significant advocacy for a holiday recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day to replace or coexist with Columbus Day, a movement that has gained traction in states like Alaska and cities like Los Angeles. Other proposals have included holidays for Cesar Chavez, Susan B. Anthony, and Malcolm X. The holiday for Christopher Columbus remains controversial, with critics linking it to the subsequent colonization and suffering of Native peoples, leading many jurisdictions to adopt alternative observances.

Comparison with state holidays

State governments are not required to observe federal holidays, leading to a diverse patchwork of observances across the country. For example, while all states recognize Thanksgiving, many do not observe Columbus Day or Washington's Birthday as formal state holidays. States often designate additional holidays specific to their history, such as Patriots' Day in Massachusetts and Maine, Confederate Memorial Day in several Southern states, and Good Friday in some jurisdictions like North Carolina. Native American Day is observed in place of Columbus Day in South Dakota. This results in situations where state government offices in Utah or Texas may be open on a federal holiday, while closed for a local observance like Pioneer Day or Texas Independence Day.

Category:Federal holidays in the United States Category:Observances in the United States