Mother’s Day and a National Hymn

Mother’s Day and a National Hymn

Filed Under: Great Americans · U.S. History · traditions

May 07

A very talented and remarkable woman, Julia Ward Howe, is largely responsible for Mothers having a special day and also for writing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Julia Ward was born into a wealthy New York family on May 27, 1819. Her mother died when Julia was only five. Her education included literature, science, and math as well as French, Italian, German, Latin and Greek. She began writing professionally at the age of twenty.

Shortly before her twenty-fourth birthday Julia married the philanthropist and reformist Dr. Samuel G. Howe. Howe was the head of the famed Perkins Institute for the Blind. They were the parents of six children. Besides being an accomplished poet and playwright, Julia assisted her husband with his anti-slavery journal, the Boston Commonwealth.

In 1861, the Howes went to Washington to view a Union army parade. On their way back to Boston their group sang patriotic songs. After singing “John Brown’s Body”, a member of the group suggested that Julia should consider writing better lyrics for that tune. Later that evening Julia wrote the words to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Julia was paid $5.00 when the song was published in February 1862. The song became an inspiration for the Union soldiers fighting against slavery. I wonder if Julia could have imagined how beloved those words would become for countless people?

After the war Julia became interested in women’s rights and world peace. For eighteen years Julia served as president of the New England Women Suffrage Association. In 1870 she wrote a powerful article entitled Mother’s Day Proclamation. She translated this article into several languages and had it widely distributed. She successfully campaigned for an official holiday and celebration of Mother’s Day. (Mother and daughter Ann and Anna Jarvis also contributed to this crusade.)

Julia Ward Howe died on October 17, 1910. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day.

Julia Ward Howe was a grand lady and a great American!

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,

His truth is marching on. (Chorus)

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps;

The have built Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps,

His day is marching on. (Chorus)

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;