Mother’s Day is usually associated with a woman named Anna Jarvis who proclaimed to be the “mother of Mother’s Day” and fought to keep her title until the day she died. However, her own mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, was responsible for creating a Mother’s Day that preceded her daughter’s claim to fame. In the 1850s Reeves Jarvis organized women in what was known as Mother’s Day work clubs where women would take steps in improving the health and sanitization of everyday living situations in West Virginia. The goal was initially focused on lowering the infant mortality rate, which was caused by poor living conditions and unsafe food.
During the American Civil War Reeves Jarvis’ work clubs helped wounded soldiers, and in the postwar period held picnics and other events to promote unity and peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment