Protest Is at Heart of Mother’s Day Observance Spring 1982: Mother’s Day activists launch protest campaign against nuclear weapons. “Before it was co-opted by sellers of greeting cards and flowers, Mother’s Day was an occasion for women to march for peace and to stage public anti-war protests. Julia Ward Howe organized a Mother’s Day peace march in Boston after the Civil War and it became a national tradition in the late 19th century.” Women’s eNews (5/8/07). And the video version: Felicity Huffman, Vanessa Williams, Alfre Woodard Teach Us the True Story of Mothers Day. The original Mother’s Day was not conceived to sell us stuff we don’t need, it was a day started by mothers to bring warfare to an end! Brave New Foundation (5/7/07)