Topic: Joint Resolution Of Congress

The origins of Father's Day are traced back to Spokane, Washington, where Sonora Smart Dodd founded the holiday in 1910 to honor her father, a Civil War veteran. While the first celebration occurred at the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910, President Barack Obama's 2014 proclamation cites a 1972 Joint Resolution of Congress that officially designated the third Sunday in June. International variations of the holiday are noted, including differences in celebration dates between the United States, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation designating June 17, 2012, as Father's Day. The proclamation, in accordance with a 1972 joint resolution of Congress, directs government officials to display the American flag, effectively making Father's Day an official flag day.