May 14: Mothers’ Day

In May (1858) Anne Marie Reeves Jarvis started “Mother’s Friendship Day” as a way to improve sanitation after the Civil War. In 1907, her daughter Anna Jarvis proposed a day to honor mothers and their anti-war organizing efforts. After years of trying to gain recognition and observance for Mothers’ Day (all mothers), it was unceremoniously co-opted by industry. Jarvis attempted to lead a boycott to no avail and  Mother’s Day (singular), as it is now called, is one of the most financially successful days on the calendar, bearing no resemblance to its radical origins.

Here’s a  great article that proposes “13 Ways to Have a Feminist Mothers’ Day” including #5 “Talk about Feminism” and #9 “Volunteer to Help Mothers in Need”