Lincoln’s Birthday is a holiday celebrated on February 12. It honors Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, who was born on Feb. 12, 1809. Lincoln’s Birthday is a legal holiday in only a few states. Several states instead honor Lincoln as part of Presidents’ Day, which is celebrated on the third Monday of February.
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The first observance of Lincoln’s birthday anniversary occurred in 1866, the year following his assassination. At that time, the president, his Cabinet, members of Congress, and representatives of the armed forces and the diplomatic corps met in his honor.
The cornerstone of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was laid on Feb. 12, 1915. Congress established a Lincoln Sesquicentennial Commission that coordinated activities for the nationwide celebration of Lincoln’s 150th birthday anniversary in 1959. In 2000, Congress passed a law establishing the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The commission set up events to honor Lincoln in 2009 on the 200th anniversary of his birth.
