Veterans Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed annually on November 11. This date is fixed by law to honor all military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. If November 11 falls on a Saturday, the public holiday is typically observed by federal and many state governments on the preceding Friday. If it occurs on a Sunday, the observance is moved to the following Monday.
The date's significance originates with the armistice that ended World War I, which went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Initially established as Armistice Day in 1938, the holiday was renamed in 1954 to broaden its purpose to honor veterans of all American wars. After a brief period of being observed on the fourth Monday of October under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, legislation was passed in 1975 to return the official observance to the historically important date of November 11, which took full effect in 1978.
The official recognition on a fixed date, rather than a floating Monday, deliberately preserves the historical connection to the end of World War I. Observances include the closure of federal institutions, ceremonies at the national and local levels, and a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. This specific and consistent date of recognition distinguishes it from other military-related holidays and reinforces its solemn purpose.
