Rachel Roudik (in back) and baby Brooks; in front – Lynn Abram holding Mollie Abraham and great-grandmother Mollie Abraham. Lynn: “We are so excited to be celebrating four generations together for Mother’s Day.” Mollie: “There’s nothing like seeing the youth becoming the people they are today.” Rachel: “It’s very special to be able to spend the holiday with so many generations.” Photo by Janet Barnett/Gazette Packet
Anna Jarvis was a well-known social activist and community organizer in Northern Virginia during the Civil War. When she died on May 9, 1905, her daughter Anna Marie Jarvis made plans to honor her mother each year on the anniversary of her death. The idea of celebrating mothers spread and led to the official recognition of a Mother’s Day holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. Closer to home, families are preparing to recognize and celebrate mothers across the city.