4,994
edits
Changes
→Political and social
===Political and social===
===Political and social===
Anna Jarvis' efforts to establish Mother's Day coincided with a period of activity in support of women's suffrage. An historian says that "Opponents of woman suffrage eagerly adopted Anna’s cause as their own." One Mother's Day sermon said that "The mother who spends six years with her children will know far more than the woman who neglects her duty in that way for social and political matters." Antisuffragist leader Marjorie Dorman asked "How may a woman enter the public arena and run as far and as fast as a man if little hands cling to her skirts?"<ref name=ah/>
Anna Jarvis' efforts to establish Mother's Day coincided with a period of activity in support of women's suffrage. An historian says that "Opponents of woman suffrage eagerly adopted Anna’s cause as their own." One Mother's Day sermon said that "The mother who spends six years with her children will know far more than the woman who neglects her duty in that way for social and political matters." Antisuffragist leader Marjorie Dorman asked "How may a woman enter the public arena and run as far and as fast as a man if little hands cling to her skirts?"<ref name=ah/>
Jarvis' champion in the Senate was Alabama senator J. Thomas Heflin,
:Known as "Cotton Tom" because of his devotion to Alabama's leading agricultural commodity, the flamboyant Heflin built a political career as an unremitting opponent of equal rights for black Americans, women, and Roman Catholics... While firmly against giving the vote to women, Heflin believed they would be grateful for his role in establishing Mother's Day as a national holiday.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Cotton_Toms_Last_Blast.htm Cotton Tom's Last Blast], United States Senate website, "Historical Minutes" section</ref>
But Jarvis herself supported women's suffrage, and some of her statements had at least a tinge of feminism:
But Jarvis herself supported women's suffrage, and some of her statements had at least a tinge of feminism:
:Washington's Birthday is for the "Father of our Country;" Memorial Day for our "Heroic Fathers;" 4th of July for "Patriot Fathers;" Labor Day for "Laboring Fathers;" Thanksgiving day for "Pilgrim Father[s];" and even New Years Day is for "Old Father Time."<ref name=quotes/>
:Washington's Birthday is for the "Father of our Country;" Memorial Day for our "Heroic Fathers;" 4th of July for "Patriot Fathers;" Labor Day for "Laboring Fathers;" Thanksgiving day for "Pilgrim Father[s];" and even New Years Day is for "Old Father Time."<ref name=quotes/>