Veterans Day 2026

Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.  This is a federal holiday in the United States honoring all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.  The original concept called for a day of parades and public meetings, with a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.  However, the United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, acknowledging November 11, 1918, and stating in part that it "marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far-reaching war in human annals."

An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor Veterans of World War I.  However, in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history,  the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the Veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars. Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day proclamation.