Sonora Smart Dodd: The Mother of Father’s Day

Upon losing her mother in the winter of 1898, 16-year-old Sonora Smart Dodd and her father William Smart embarked on a journey that would forever change the perception of fathers.

As a survivor of the Civil War, Smart moved his family out west to seek his fortune while raising his six children as a single parent. The sacrifices Smart made to care for his family were unique at the time, as fathers held the stereotype of being absent.

Dodd, however, idolized her father and realized the importance fathers held in the household. After attending a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, Dodd became determined to give fathers the same recognition. She began going to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials around Washington State to gain support. On June 19, 1910, the state of Washington celebrated its first Father’s Day.

Father’s Day slowly gained popularity throughout the nation. President Richard Nixon made Father’s Day a permanent federal holiday in 1972, nearly 60 years after Mother’s Day. Dodd was honored for her contributions at the World’s Fair in 1974. She died in 1978 at the age of 96.

Today, fathers around the world are honored and celebrated each year. According to Time magazine, consumers spent $12.7 billion on Father’s Day in 2013. The reputation fathers have today is much different from Dodd’s time. Today, nearly three-quarters of fathers say they’re more involved with their kids than their fathers were. In 2012, 32 percent of fathers were reported to be the primary caregivers in the family.

Sonora Smart Dodd’s work for fathers and equal recognition will not be forgotten. As the “mother of Father’s Day” she pioneered a special day that would forever give fathers the recognition they deserve.

Happy Father’s Day!

STEPHANIE ROSS is a freelance writer and marketing coordinator.