It all started in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947 – the first Veterans Day. It was celebrated only in Alabama at first, but the idea was so good and so needed that it spread nationally.
Raymond Weeks was a Birmingham native and veteran of World War II. He came up with the idea to take “Armistice Day” – which commemorated the November 11 end of fighting in WWI – and expand it to “Veterans Day” to honor all Americans who had served their country and their people. He led a national campaign for the idea of Veterans Day with General Dwight Eisenhower, President Harry Truman, and Congress.
By November 11, 1982, the idea had become so popular that President Ronald Reagan awarded the Presidential Citizenship Medal to Weeks, who lived in Alabama until his death at age 76 in 1985.
The meaning of Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day in May. While Memorial Day honors those who died in the service of their county, Veterans Day honors all who served. Many Veterans look back at their years of service as the most meaningful time of their lives. Some people live their entire lifetimes and wonder if they ever made a difference for others. Veterans don’t have that problem.
Jim Zeigler has been the Alabama State Auditor since 2015.
