2019 Veterans Day Statewide Events

Veterans Day is observed on November 11 of each year to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice.

President Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919, as the first “Armistice Day,” commemorating the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany which took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, ending the Great War. For the next several decades, Armistice Day primarily honored veterans of World War I.

In 1954, to reflect the involvement of American veterans in World War II and Korea, the name was changed to Veterans Day. President Eisenhower appointed a Veterans Day National Committee “to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary.”

For a brief time, the observance of Veterans Day moved from year to year to ensure three-day weekends akin to Memorial Day in an attempt to encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities. By 1978 the date of observance was restored to November 11, preserving the historical significance of that date in accordance with the desires of major veterans organizations and the American people.

Info from: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

How do you properly spell Veterans Day? Who determines business and school closures? Why are red poppies worn on Veterans Day? Find out the answers to these and more below:

• Veterans Day Frequently Asked Questions 
• Info for Teachers and Students

Veterans Day is one of the national holidays on which the flag should be displayed.

• Guidelines for Display of the Flag 
• Correct Method of Folding the United States Flag