09/25/2026
Sunday:September 27, 2026
Gold Star Mothers and Family Day
Each year on the last Sunday in September, the nation observes Gold Star Mothers and Family day. The day is a solemn tribute to anyone who has lost a son or daughter in military service.
This day recognizes the profound and deeply emotional sacrifice of those families and is a testament to the strength that they show in the face of the terrible and heart wrenching loss of a loved one.
The Gold Star Mothers and Family day observance dales back to just after World War l. During the war, families of military members displayed service flags in their windows.
A blue star represented a loved one serving in the military. If the service member died, the blue star was replaced with a Gold Star.
Historically, the phrase, “Gold Star Mother ” was created from this family observance and tradition
In 1928, a group of grieving mothers, led by Grace Darling Seibold founded the American Gold Star Mothers,Inc.
to help mothers support one another and honor their children's service.
During the organization’s infancy the women visited veterans confined in health facilities and hospitals that were far from the Veterans home locations. This group of Gold Star Mothers focused their
time and energies on service to Veterans, active military personnel and to providing services and assistance to military families in their home communities.
As a result of their proactive advocacy, national visibility and international recognition. In 1936 Congress designated the last Sunday in September as Gold Star Mother’s Day.
President Franklin Roosevelt issued a Presidential proclamation declaring
Sunday; September 26,1937 as
Gold Star Mother’s Day. President Roosevelt directed the government to display the flag on all government buildings. He also called upon our nations citizens display the flag and to hold events in their home communities especially in public locations on that day as a public display and expression of a grateful nation having a deep thankfulness and reverence for our Military,Gold Star Mothers and their extended families and home communities.
In 2011 recognizing the sacrifice and grief shared by Gold Star families the government updated the name on the designation to Gold Star Mothers
and Families Day.
The Cayuga County Vietnam Veterans Chapter 704 has also created a public space to honor and recognize Cayuga County’s Gold Star Mothers and Families with the assistance of The Town of Brutus and has a dedicated Gold Star Mothers and Family MEMORIAL at the Aqueduct Park located in Brutus.
For Cayuga County residents the Old Star Mothers Memorial facilitates a public observance and is an important aspect of supporting our grieving families. The public acknowledgment of a family helps validate the life of their child and provide a space for private personal reflections knowing that their beloved child’s service and life accomplishments are honored and not forgotten.
The Gold Star Mothers and Family day recognition activities are a real time reminder to all citizens of our nation of the human cost of war and the families especially the children that are left behind.
Dr. Linda Townsend
