Proclamation 4646

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

For 65 years we have set aside a special day to honor all American mothers and acknowledge the important contribution of mothers to the future of their children and of our Nation.

The activities and aspirations of many American women have changed dramatically in recent years. Whether or not they combine employment outside the home with their other responsibilities, the fundamental commitment of mothers to the welfare, development and future opportunities of their children remains as strong as that of mothers in past generations.

In this time when the family is subjected to many new pressures, the job of nurturing future generations is often both more difficult and more important than ever. Our children remain our major resource, and preserving the valuable aspects of our heritage while working to build a better world for the future is the duty of all Americans.

Our Nation has made great progress in providing educational opportunities, health care and adequate nutrition for our children, but we still have much to do to make sure all our children are able to develop their full potential. In addition to these basic necessities, parents must provide the love and training that produces the critical spiritual and social values as well as the motivation and self-discipline their children will need to live fruitful lives.

Mother's Day affords us an opportunity to express our thanks to our own mothers, and to honor the devotion, dedication and service of all mothers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, do hereby request that Sunday, May 13, 1979, be observed as Mother's Day. I direct Government officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings. I urge all citizens to display the flag in appropriate ways as a sign of their gratitude to the mothers of America, and to seek ways to aid and support the important efforts of American mothers to provide the kind of influences and resources their children need to develop into strong, honest, capable and happy adults.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and third.

JIMMY CARTER

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:24 p.m., March 16, 1979]