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Anna, however, became inspired to make this not just a one-time celebration but something relevant to all mothers who sacrifice for their children. She was also inspired by the fact that much celebration focused on male achievement but rarely on women, particularly mothers who often were instrumental for their children's success. In 1908, a larger, official celebration was held in Philadelphia due to her persistence and help from a business owner John Wanamaker, who helped her establish a space for a larger celebration. Before the decade had finished, many churches and secular places began holding Mother's Day celebrations in eastern US cities. Effectively, What Ann could not achieve in life became achieve through her death and her daughter Anna's efforts.<ref>For more on the history of Mother's Day in the United States, see: Antolini, K. L. (2014). <i>Memorializing motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the struggle for control of Mother’s Day</i> (First edition). Morgantown: West Virginia University Press. </ref>

By 1910, West Virginia was the first state to recognize Mother's Day, with other states quickly following. Jarvis had begun to actively campaign to have the day remembered as Mother's Day. White carnations, Ann's favorite flower and used by Anna as the symbol of her mother, became associated with Mother's Day and the House of Representatives passed a proclamation in 1913 making it the official flower worn by government employees on the Monday after Mother's Day. By 1914, an act of Congress officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. As World War I was about to start, Mother's Day even became more poignant as a celebration of mothers who gave up their sons in times of war.<ref>For more on how Mother's Day became an official holiday, see: Garrigues, L., & Garrigues, L. (2008). <i>Writing motherhood</i>. New York: Scribner. </ref>