Youth and Sports Day was first celebrated in Samsun as Gazi Day in 1926, and became official as Atatürk Day on May 24, 1935. Celebrated at Fenerbahçe stadium with the initiatives of Beşiktaş , this first May 19 became a sports day with the participation of hundreds of athletes from Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. proposed to be organized each year under the name of "Youth and Sports Day of May 19" in order to be affordable for all young people. This proposal, which was voted on in Congress, was accepted and became legal with the approval of Atatürk.
Celebrated as "Youth and Sports Day" with the law of June 20, 1938, the name of this national holiday was named "Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day" after the coup September 12.