Father’s Day is more meaningful than ever

In the year 2024, Father’s Day is more meaningful than it ever was before.

Today’s American fathers are far more involved with their kids than dads were in 1910, when the day was first celebrated, or in any decade since. Modern fathers expect and intend to play a vital and influential role in their children’s lives.

Social media has given us an intimate glimpse into the role of dads in their children’s lives, with reels of young fathers having funny conversations with the little ones, or dads saving the day. They also give us a chance to see how much children adore their fathers.

In one way, these fathers are similar to Sonora Smart Dodd’s dad. After Dodd’s mother died, her father raised the family. To recognize his sacrifices, Dodd and her church celebrated the first Father’s Day in 1910.

The Father’s Day movement was supported by President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. But it wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson officially set the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day.

Roses are the traditional Father’s Day flowers: Red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.