U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 8

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SUNDAY, MAY 8: MOTHER'S DAY

Profile America -- Sunday, May 8th.  Today is Mother's Day -- one of the nation's most revered national observances.  The idea started in 1908 with Anna Jarvis of West Virginia to honor her recently departed mother, who had voiced the hope that sometime there would be a day to commemorate all mothers.  By 1911, every state observed Mother's Day, and in 1914, Congress made it a national event.  There are more than 85 million mothers across the U.S.  Each year, just over 4 million women have babies.  Of these, some 410,000 are teenagers 15 to 19, while at the other end of the age scale -- more than 7,900 are aged 45 to 54.  The average age of women giving birth for the first time is just over 25.  Profile America is beginning its 15th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 264

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB11-FF.07

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau