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 6 children, William Jackson Smart inspired this annual event.” The clue points to a family story that helped lead to one of the best-known annual observances in the United States.

What Is Father’s Day?

The correct response is Father’s Day. William Jackson Smart was a Civil War veteran and farmer who raised his children after the death of his wife. His daughter, Sonora Smart Dodd, later credited her father’s devotion as the inspiration behind her campaign to create a day honoring fathers.

The clue focuses on Smart’s actions rather than on Dodd by name, which makes it a strong Final Jeopardy clue. Contestants had to recognize that the widowed father raising six children was connected to the origin story of Father’s Day.

William Jackson Smart and His Family

William Jackson Smart became a widower when his wife died, leaving him to care for their children. The clue states that this happened in 1858 and that he was left with six children, emphasizing the responsibility he took on as a single father.

Smart’s role in the family became especially meaningful to his daughter Sonora. She saw his work, sacrifice, and commitment as deserving the same kind of public recognition that mothers had begun receiving through Mother’s Day.

Sonora Smart Dodd’s Campaign

Sonora Smart Dodd, who lived in Spokane, Washington, is widely credited with helping establish Father’s Day. After hearing a Mother’s Day sermon, she believed fathers should also be honored, especially men like her own father who had carried the burden of raising children alone.

Dodd promoted the idea locally, and the first Father’s Day celebration associated with her campaign was held in Spokane in 1910. The observance grew over time before becoming a national holiday decades later.

How Father’s Day Became an Annual Event

Father’s Day did not become a permanent national holiday immediately. It took years of advocacy, public support, and official recognition before the observance gained the same standing as other national holidays.

In the United States, Father’s Day is now observed annually on the third Sunday in June. Its modern form honors fathers, father figures, and paternal influence, but its origin remains tied closely to Sonora Smart Dodd’s admiration for William Jackson Smart.

Why This Final Jeopardy Clue Works

This clue works because it highlights the lesser-known person behind a very familiar event. Many people know Father’s Day as an annual holiday, but fewer know the story of William Jackson Smart and the daughter who wanted his example recognized.

The correct response, Father’s Day, fits every part of the clue. Smart’s actions after his wife’s death inspired Sonora Smart Dodd’s campaign, and that family story became part of the history behind a national observance.