Veterans Day is observed annually in the United States on November 11. This date is fixed by federal law and does not change from year to year, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.
The significance of the November 11 date is historical, marking the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918. The truce took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Originally celebrated as Armistice Day, the holiday was officially renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor American veterans of all wars. While the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 shifted several federal holidays to create three-day weekends, the historical importance of November 11 led Congress to return Veterans Day to its original fixed date in 1978.
While the official date of commemoration is always November 11, the designated day off for federal employees and many organizations is adjusted when the date falls on a weekend. If November 11 is a Saturday, the holiday is typically observed on the preceding Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, the observance is moved to the following Monday. This practice ensures that the holiday is marked with a non-working day for federal purposes.
