American National Holidays

From the Editor

National holidays often conjure up images of family gatherings, picnics and barbeques, jubilant children celebrating a day off from school, and newspaper advertisements of department store sales. Yet as historians and history teachers it is our task to remind our students that these are days of commemoration and remembrance, not simply days of celebration. In this issue of HISTORY NOW, a group of noted scholars provides a closer look at the origins and the significance of six of our major national holidays: Independence Day, Thanksgiving,...More »