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Veteran's Day is observed on Nov 11 (if a Sunday, or next Monday), it is an Official US (Federal) holiday.
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent
resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate
ceremonies. An Act of Congress approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a
day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Alfred King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just
those who served in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to
turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia
merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11, 1953, to honor veterans. With the help of
then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it
into law on May 26, 1954.
Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day since.
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