The toughest aspect of parenting, as wise individuals have stated, is nurturing children to have both roots and wings. This was something that Civil War veteran and exceptional father, William Jackson Smart, excelled at. Sonora Smart Dodd, his daughter, founded Father’s Day in 1910 after being inspired by her twice-widowed yet devoted father. She planted her own roots in Spokane, Washington, where she conceived and established the first celebration dedicated to honoring fathers. Today, she is cherished as a beloved figure in Spokane, known as a Chosen Daughter.
Although Dodd’s roots were firmly planted in her hometown, she also spread her wings and pursued her dreams and passions outside of Spokane. She was a woman ahead of her time, excelling as a businessperson, poet, Chicago artist, and Hollywood fashion-maker. But above all, she remained a devoted daughter. According to Betsy Roddy, proud great-granddaughter and family historian, Dodd would gift books and provide encouragement to her loved ones throughout her life. Her beautiful handwriting would inscribe these books with the words, “Be educated, watch your words, words have power.”
Dodd’s remarkable journey began during a time when women often lacked the right to vote and when society resisted the idea of dedicating a day to fathers. She was born on February 18, 1882, in Jenny Lind, Arkansas, to William Jackson and Ellen Victory Cheek (Billingsley) Smart. She fondly remembered her childhood home, describing it as a happy place with blooming lilacs, an orchard, crystal springs, and trees abundant with hickory, pecan, and walnut. The Smarts had a large blended family, with “steps, halves, and wholes,” as she lovingly referred to her extended family.
Her father, a Civil War veteran, remained loyal to the United States despite Arkansas seceding from the Union. He served in the Union Army and returned to Arkansas after the war. He married Elizabeth Harris and had three children before her passing. He then married Ellen, a widowed mother of three, and together they had six more children, including Sonora. When Dodd’s mother died during childbirth, her father stepped up to care for his children. Dodd vividly remembered a moment when her youngest brother ran out into the cold on the night of their mother’s funeral. Her father comforted and sang to him by the fire until he fell asleep.
In the early 1900s, fatherhood faced its own challenges. Neglectful and distant fathers were quite common themes in popular songs of the time, highlighting the societal crisis surrounding fatherhood. Additionally, widespread drunkenness, mainly affecting men, led to the Prohibition movement that banned alcohol nationwide in 1919. It was in this context that Dodd attended a Mother’s Day sermon and wondered why fathers didn’t have a similar day of recognition. Inspired by her own father’s devotion, she approached the minister and suggested the idea of Father’s Day. With the support of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and the local YMCA, she advocated for the establishment of Father’s Day through local press and public discussions.
On June 19, 1910, the first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, featuring church sermons and various city-wide festivities. Dodd encouraged the gifting of flowers, with red roses symbolizing living fathers and white roses representing fathers who had passed away. She also organized the distribution of gifts to fathers from less fortunate families. Although Father’s Day gained popularity in Spokane and spread to other communities, it didn’t reach the same level of national enthusiasm as Mother’s Day. However, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson helped raise the profile of Father’s Day by participating in festivities held in Spokane.
Sonora Smart Dodd may have spread her wings and achieved remarkable success in her own right, but she never forgot the importance of honoring fathers. As a devoted daughter, she recognized the role her father played in shaping her life. Through her perseverance and determination, she established a day dedicated to celebrating and expressing gratitude to fathers across the country. Today, Father’s Day stands as a testament to her enduring legacy.
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