The keyword phrase functions as an interrogative, seeking to establish a specific date. The primary noun is "Veterans Day," a U.S. federal holiday, and the secondary noun "November" correctly identifies the month of its observance. The function of the query is to pinpoint the exact day within that month. Veterans Day is observed annually on the fixed date of November 11th.
The selection of November 11th is historically significant. The holiday was originally established as Armistice Day to commemorate the cessation of hostilities in World War I, which occurred on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. In 1954, the U.S. Congress officially changed the name to Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars. While the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved several federal holidays to create three-day weekends, the historical importance of the November 11th date led to legislation in 1975 that returned the official observance of Veterans Day to its original date, effective 1978.
The practical application of this fixed date means that the official observance always occurs on November 11th, regardless of the day of the week, to preserve its historical linkage. However, for federal purposes and many businesses, if the date falls on a non-working day, the holiday is typically observed on an adjacent weekday. When November 11th is a Saturday, the designated public holiday is usually the preceding Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, the holiday is most often observed on the following Monday.
