The Anti-War Origins of Mother’s Day

For many people, Mother’s Day may conjure up images of croissants, mimosas, and brunch on the second Sunday of May, but did you know this holiday can trace its origins back to anti-war efforts in the 1800s? Here’s the story of where American Mother’s Day began, how it evolved, and why its founder eventually came to disown it altogether.
The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to the 1860s, according to historian Katharine Lane Antolini, when Ann Reeves Jarvis (shown above, left) started Mother’s Day Work Clubs in various Appalachian communities in an effort to combat infant mortality rates. Jarvis educated the community about diseases and sanitation and provided access to medicine.