That’s when — after a prolonged lightsaber between hero Luke Skywalker and villain Darth Vader that includes Luke having his hand severed — Darth Vader (voiced by the incomparable James Earl Jones) says, “Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.”

Luke then shouts back. “He told me enough! He told me you killed him!”

That’s when Darth Vader answers with the often mis-quoted line, “No. I am your father.”

It may be one of the most famous father references in all of movie history, which is ironic because Darth Vader isn’t exactly a positive father figure (at least not until the Anakin Skywalker redemption moment at the end of The Return of the Jedi).

The best fathers certainly are much more present and provide physically, mentally and emotionally for their children.

These are the dads who are celebrated every June on Father’s Day, the annual holiday that has been around in some form for more than 100 years.

Here’s a look at the history of Father’s Day, its importance today and some memorable Father’s Day quotes:

The history of Father’s Day

According to a 2025 article by Aurelia C. Scott on Almanac.com, early suggestions about establishing a holiday to celebrate fathers was met with some resistance.

Despite having roots in ancient traditions, Scott said that the original idea early in the 20th century put it in the same category as Mother’s Day — which wasn’t necessarily a good association for men during that time period.

“Mother’s Day came first (it was officially recognized in 1914), so men in the early 1900s associated such a tribute with women and found the idea of a day for men too effeminate to their liking,” Scott said in the article. “To be fair, Mother’s Day was couched in terms of femininity. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson called Mother’s Day a way to recognize ‘that tender, gentle army–the mothers of America.’

“Men viewed the idea of Father’s Day as similar to Mother’s Day, which was popular with florists; for fathers, it didn’t have the same sentimental appeal. As one historian writes, they ‘scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.'”

Some viewed a day recognizing fathers as being unnecessary in a patriarchal society, but two women in different parts of the United States felt differently.

The first known Father’s Day service occurred in Fairmont, West Virginia, on July 5, 1908, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accident in U.S. history. Grace Golden Clayton wanted to honor her father and all fathers, especially those who had died in the tragedy, but the celebration was largely unknown outside of Fairmont and wasn’t renewed the following year.

Scott wrote that the next year in Spokane, Wash., Sonora Smart Dodd “was inspired by Anna Jarvis and the idea of Mother’s Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, was also a single parent who raised Sonora and her five brothers by himself, after his wife, Ellen, died giving birth to their youngest child in 1898. While attending a Mother’s Day church service in 1909, Sonora, then 27 years old, came up with the idea.”

It didn’t take long to get the ball rolling in the area.

“Within a few months, Sonora had convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA to set aside a Sunday in June to celebrate fathers,” Scott said. “She proposed June 5, her father’s birthday, but the ministers chose the third Sunday in June so that they would have more time after Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) to prepare their sermons. Thus, on June 19, 1910, the first Father’s Day events commenced: Sonora delivered presents to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA decorated their lapels with fresh-cut roses (red for living fathers, white for the deceased), and the city’s ministers devoted their homilies to fatherhood.”

Although there were movements to expand the holiday during the next 60 years, according to Scott, it wasn’t until 1972 that “Congress passed an act officially making Father’s Day a national holiday. (Six years later, Sonora died at age 96.)”

Importance of Father’s Day today

In 2024, Lisa Liggins-Chambers wrote an article called “The Unwavering Impact of Fatherhood on Father’s Day” for psychologytoday.com.

In it, she talked about the importance of celebrating and supporting fathers through events like Father’s Day.

“Since fathers play diverse roles in their families, Father’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate fathers and highlight the importance of fathers’ mental health,” Liggins-Chambers said.

She explained that she doesn’t agree with those who say Father’s Day isn’t as important as Mother’s Day.

“Fathers are crucial for promoting a more accurate and inclusive understanding of family dynamics and child development,” Liggins-Chambers said. “Fathers play vital roles in their children’s lives, contributing to their emotional, social, cognitive, and physical well-being. Fathers, your role is crucial in your families, and there is plenty of evidence to demonstrate your importance and why we celebrate Father’s Day.”

She encouraged everyone to support fathers by having open conversations and also getting professional support.

Liggins-Chambers concluded by saying, “Encouraging open conversations, supporting self-care, appreciating their contributions, and raising awareness not only benefits fathers but also strengthens the entire family unit and communities as a whole. By debunking the myth that fathers are not important, we can foster a more inclusive understanding of family roles and support the active involvement of fathers in their children’s lives.”

Best quotes for Father’s Day

Xavier University listed the following on its website at xavier.edu as its Top 5 Best Father’s Day Quotes:

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”

– Jim Valvano

“The greatest thing a father can do to his children, is to love their mother.”

– Anjaneth Garcia Untalan

“I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father’s life.”

– Sidney Poitier

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.”

– William Shakespeare

“I wasn’t anything special as a father. But I loved them and they knew it.”

– Sammy Davis, Jr.