Uncle Sam says it's not Presidents Day Federal offices closed
for Washington's Birthday If you're off school or work Monday in
observance of Presidents Day, you've got it all wrong, at least
according to the federal government. Federal offices are closed
Monday because it's Washington's Birthday, a holiday to honor
the first U.S. president, George Washington. Confused? Here's
what the National Archives says on its website: "This holiday is
designated as 'Washington's Birthday.' Though other institutions
such as state and local governments and private businesses may
use other names, it is Federal policy to always refer to
holidays by the names designated in the law." Washington's
actual birthday was February 22, and that's when the holiday was
originally celebrated. However, in 1968, Congress passed the
Uniform Monday Holiday Act , which designated the third Monday
in February as Washington's Birthday, beginning in 1971. The
Presidents Day moniker evolved later, at least partly to honor
Abraham Lincoln, whose