Girl with doughnuts and trophy, Digital ID 1673079, New York Public LibraryThe first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day.

Usually I am skeptical of nonsensical food holidays. Did the cinnamon-sugar lobby come up with this? The lard council?

Still, National Doughnut Day grabbed my attention. So I checked Chase's Calendar and the sources cited in the Wikipedia article.

It's time to CELEBRATE!

The first Doughnut Day was in 1938, organized by the Salvation Army in Chicago to raise funds during the Great Depression, in remembrance of the women who served doughnuts to soldiers on the front lines of World War I.

Access these articles and more through ProQuest Historical Database, available from home with your library card:

• "A new kind of war munitions furnished by the Salvation Army." "Pies and Doughnuts." Outlook, Jun 05, 1918.
• "Salvation Army Hut Makes a Hit With Fighting Men in France." "Doughnuts at the Sally." Boston Daily Globe, May 19, 1918.
• Doughnuts figured prominently in stateside fundraising for the Salvation Army during the war. "Girls Fox Trot on Loop Street Corners at a Dollar a Trot to Swell the Salvation Army Fund. There Was General Regret When an Order Was Issued Placing a Ban on This Activity." "Dancing for Doughnuts." Chicago Daily Tribune, Aug 16, 1918.

This recipe makes 400 large/500 small doughnutsEnsign Margaret Sheldon (later Mrs. Margaret Stufflebeam) started the tradition within the American Expeditionary Force stationed in France. "The Doughnut Queen" thought it would be "an interesting change from pies, cocoa and fudge." Despite not having the best cooking utensils on hand, she improvised with cans and bottles, making thousands of doughnuts for the men on the front. "Diary Recalls Start of A.E.F. Doughnuts." New York Times, Jan 31, 1961.

A discussion of "sopping" vs. "dunking" and speculation on the anthropological origins of fried cakes. "Glory of Doughnut Revived at a Party." New York Times, May 14, 1936.

Brigadier Helen Purviance found it a great privilege to serve, but sadly, "[came] to associate doughnut frying with the 'horrors of war.'" "Salvation Army Officer Cooks Doughnuts, as She did in the War, for Fund Drive here." New York Times, Apr 20, 1938.

Girl with head in giant doughnut, Digital ID 1668371, New York Public LibraryBrowse our new Digital Collections site for more wonderful doughnut photos.

The Smithsonian Institution's Sally L. Steinberg Collection of Doughnut Ephemera contains materials gathered by Sally L. Steinberg (granddaughter of Adolph Levitt, the "doughnut king.") while researching The Donut Book. Some of the material has been digitized and is available online.

We have 117 menus from 1892 to 1970 that feature the humble doughnut.

From Google Magazines:

• I don't think any of these places are around anymore... still, fun to read. "My Search for the Perfect Doughnut" New York Magazine, Nov 22, 1976.
• Ad from LIFE Magazine, 1937. "Digestable and nutritious"?! Doughnuts Go to a Party.
• A doughnut machine helps the needy in Cebu, Philippines. "Distinguished Doughnuts" The Rotarian, Aug 1965.

Find doughnuts near you with Foursquare.

Browse doughnut books in the catalog.

• Doughnut: A Global History by Heather Delancey Hunwick (2015)
• The Hole Story of the Doughnut by Pat Miller (2016)
• Donut Nation: A Cross-country Guide to America's Best Artisan Donut Shops by Ellen Brown (2015)
• Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony (2015)
• Doughnuts!: 100 Dough-licious Recipes by Carol Beckerman (2014)
• Homemade Doughnuts: Techniques and Recipes for Making Sublime Doughnuts in your Home Kitchen by Kamal Grant (2014)
• The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore From Boston to Berlin by Michael Krondl (2014)
• Glazed, Filled, Sugared, & Dipped: Easy Doughnut Recipes to Fry or Bake at Home by Stephen Collucci (2013)
• Betty Crocker 20 Best Doughnut Recipes: Betty Crocker 20 Best Doughnut Recipes by Betty Crocker (2013)
• A Baker's Field Guide to Doughnuts: More Than 60 Warm and Fresh Homemade Treats by Dede Wilson (2012)
• Powdered Peril: A Donut Shop Mystery by Jessica Beck (2012)
• Killer Crullers by Jessica Beck (2012)
• Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck (2011)
• Top Pot Hand-forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker by Mark Klebeck (2011)
• Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck (2010)
• The Donut Chef by Bob Staake (2008)
• Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut by Paul R. Mullins (2008)
• Curious George: The Donut Delivery by Monica Perez (2006)
• Donuts: An American Passion by John T. Edge (2006)
• The Donut Book: The Whole Story in Words, Pictures & Outrageous Tales by Sally Levitt Steinberg (2004)
• Who Needs Donuts? by Mark Stamaty Alan (2003)
• Doughnuts: Over 3 Dozen Crullers, Fritters, and Other Treats by Dorian Leigh Parker (1994)
• Dollars in Doughnuts by Procter & Gamble Company (1933)

Find DVDs of America's most famous doughnut eater, Homer Simpson.

Illustration of proper dough consistency

Take a Tip: There's Dollars in Doughnuts by the Procter & Gamble Bakery Service - A treatise on doughnut production available through HathiTrust.

Krispy Kreme on the Make video from the Internet Archive.

Creme, jelly, glazed, powdered sugar... how will you celebrate?