By his actions after his wife died in 1858 after leaving him & children, William Jackson Smart inspired this annual event

The Final Jeopardy clue for Wednesday, June 3, 2026, appeared in the category “Lesser-Known Americans” and read: “By his actions after his wife died in 1858 after leaving him & children, William Jackson Smart inspired this annual event.” The clue points to a Civil War veteran and single father whose devotion to his family later inspired his daughter to campaign for a national observance honoring fathers.

What Is Father’s Day?

The correct response is Father’s Day. William Jackson Smart was the father of Sonora Smart Dodd, the woman most often credited with helping establish Father’s Day in the United States.

The clue focuses on Smart’s actions after his wife died in 1858. He was left to raise his children, and his role as a devoted single father became the personal inspiration behind Dodd’s campaign for a day honoring fathers. His example gave the holiday its emotional foundation.

Who Was William Jackson Smart?

William Jackson Smart was a farmer and Civil War veteran who lived in Washington state later in life. He had served in the military and became known within his family as a strong, steady presence after the death of his wife.

According to the traditional account behind Father’s Day, Smart raised his children on his own after his wife died. His daughter Sonora grew up with a deep respect for the sacrifices he made, and that respect shaped her belief that fathers deserved public recognition in the same way mothers did.

Sonora Smart Dodd and the Push for a Holiday

Sonora Smart Dodd began advocating for Father’s Day after hearing a Mother’s Day sermon in Spokane, Washington. She believed that her father’s sacrifices showed why fathers should also be honored with a dedicated day.

Her campaign led to one of the earliest Father’s Day celebrations in Spokane in 1910. The idea did not become a national holiday right away, but it gradually gained support across the country as churches, civic groups, and families embraced the observance.

How Father’s Day Became a National Observance

Father’s Day grew slowly compared with Mother’s Day. For decades, it was recognized in different communities but was not yet a permanent federal holiday. Presidents and lawmakers supported it at various points, but official national recognition took time.

The holiday finally became a permanent national observance in the United States in the 20th century. Its roots, however, remained tied to Sonora Smart Dodd’s tribute to William Jackson Smart and the example he set as a father.

Why This Final Jeopardy Clue Works

This clue works because it asks about a well-known annual event through a lesser-known person. Most people know Father’s Day, but fewer know the story of William Jackson Smart and Sonora Smart Dodd.

The correct response, Father’s Day, fits every part of the clue. Smart’s actions as a widowed father inspired his daughter’s campaign, and that campaign helped create one of the most familiar annual observances in American life.