Loyalty Day
Loyalty Day | |
---|---|
Color guard walking for Loyalty Day in 2005 | |
Observed by | United States |
Significance | Special day for acknowledging American history and declaring loyalty to the United States[1] |
Celebrations | Parades and ceremonies |
Date | May 1 |
Frequency | Annual |
Started by | Dwight D. Eisenhower |
Loyalty Day is observed on May 1 in the United States. It was proclaimed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a day for declaring loyalty to the United States of America and to acknowledge American history.[2]
The date, May 1, was set in order to counter International Workers' Day and was recognized by the U.S. Congress during the height of the Second Red Scare.
Each year on Loyalty Day, the current president is requested to issue a proclamation that asks the American government officials to display the American flag on all government buildings. The proclamations also ask for the American people to observe Loyalty Day with ceremonies in suitable places.[2] The most common way of celebrating is with parades. [3]
History
The holiday was first observed in 1921, during the First Red Scare.[4] It was originally called "Americanization Day,"[4] and it was intended to replace the May 1 ("May Day") celebration of the International Workers' Day,[5] which commemorates the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, where 8 labor organizers were executed on false charges of throwing a bomb at police.[6]In the late 1800’s May became a day for the revolutionary labor movement to honor the memory of the May 1, 1886, strike in Chicago.[7] The 1886 strike is also known as the Haymarket Affair or the Haymarket Riot which is associated with a number of issuing events that influenced the creation of Loyalty Day. The need for Loyalty Day was recognized in response to the October Revolution in Russia.[5] One of the first instances of a celebration held for Americanization day was on May 1, 1930, when 10,000 VFW members staged a rally at New York's Union Square to promote patriotism.[4]
During the Second Red Scare, it was recognized by the U.S. Congress on April 27, 1955,[8] and made an official reoccurring holiday on July 18, 1958 (Public Law 85-529).[1][9] President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1, 1955, the first observance of Loyalty Day.[10] In 1958, Eisenhower urged Congress to move Child Health Day to the First Monday in October, to avoid conflicting with Loyalty Day.[9][11] Loyalty Day has been recognized with an official proclamation every year by every president since its inception as a legal holiday in 1958.[12][13]
Celebrations and activities
Loyalty Day events, mostly parades, have been held in
- Golden Shores, Arizona[3]
- Calhan, Colorado[14]
- New Lenox, Illinois[15]
- Brazil, Indiana[16]
- Murray, Kentucky (not annually)[17]
- Standish, Michigan[18]
- Norfolk, Nebraska[19]
- Newport, Oregon[20]
- Brandon, South Dakota[21]
- El Paso, Texas[22]
- Rutland, Vermont[23]
- Long Beach, Washington[24]
- Freedom, Wisconsin[25]
These parades usually involve color guards, various marching bands, and even motorcycle clubs, in addition to the appearance of vintage cars and emergency vehicles.[26]
Statutory definition
Loyalty Day is defined as follows in 36 U.S.C. § 115:
- (a) Designation.— May 1 is Loyalty Day.
- (b) Purpose.— Loyalty Day is a special day for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.
- (c) Proclamation.— The President is requested to issue a proclamation—
- (1) calling on United States Government officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on Loyalty Day; and
- (2) inviting the people of the United States to observe Loyalty Day with appropriate ceremonies in schools and other suitable places.
See also
- Holidays of the United States
- Labour Day
- Law Day (United States)
References
- ^ a b "36 U.S. Code § 115 – Loyalty Day". Legal Information Institute. New York: Cornell University Law School. August 12, 1998. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
- ^ a b "36 U.S. Code § 115 - Loyalty Day". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- ^ a b "Golden Shores, AZ: Come to the 34th Annual Loyalty Day Parade and Event today". Zach News. April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Patriotic Days". VFW Veterans of Foreign Wars. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ a b "Not to be a downer, but here's a reality check on 'Loyalty Day'". Los Angeles Times (Editorial). April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "A short history of May Day". Libcom.org. September 11, 2006. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ^ "Shibboleth Authentication Request". ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "84th Congress, 1st Session" (PDF). United States Statutes at Large. 69. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office: 44. 1955.
- ^ a b Eisenhower, Dwight D. (July 18, 1958). Gerhard Peters; John T. Woolley (eds.). "Statement by the President Upon Signing Resolution Designating May 1 as Loyalty Day". The American Presidency Project. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ Eisenhower, Dwight D. (April 28, 1955). Gerhard Peters; John T. Woolley (eds.). "Proclamation 3091 – Loyalty Day, 1955". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ Eisenhower, Dwight D. (April 18, 1959). "Presidential Proclamation 3282 declaring May 1, 1959 Loyalty Day". OPA – Online Public Access. National Archives. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ "Search Results: Loyalty Day". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ Office of the Federal Register (1967). The Code of Federal regulations of the United States of America. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 42-43.
- ^ "Loyalty Day Parade May 2, 2020". Department of Colorado VFW. February 6, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "42nd Annual 18th District Loyalty Day Parade has been canceled". Patch. April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Report, Times Staff (April 25, 2022). "LOYALTY DAY IS THIS WEEKEND". Brazil Times. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ Wright, John (April 24, 2018). "VFW hosts Loyalty Day Parade Saturday". Murray Ledger. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Drew, Trevor (April 27, 2019). "Loyalty Day Parade returns for 48th year". Arenac County Independent. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Norfolk Loyalty Day Parade". Sandhills Express. May 1, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "loyalty-day-happening". Newport News Times. March 25, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ Hult, Jamie (April 21, 2020). "Loyalty Day Parade on hold – for now". Brandon Valley Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Long, Trish (April 25, 2019). "El Paso answers Russia's May Day with Loyalty Day for the first time in 1964". El Paso Times. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Dritschilo, Gordon (April 7, 2020). "Loyalty Day Parade canceled". Rutland Herald. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Heffernan, Marissa (January 14, 2020). "Long Beach Loyalty Days will continue on under direction of Elks Lodge". The Daily News. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Loyalty Day Parade – Freedom, WI". Winnebago County. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ Writer, Gordon Dritschilo Staff (March 7, 2022). "Loyalty Day Parade back on city line-up". Rutland Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
External links
- Image of "Steps to Better Manhood" truck in the Loyalty Day parade, Los Angeles, 1926, Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
- v
- t
- e
- New Year's Day (federal)
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (federal)
- Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos (PR)
- Confederate Heroes Day (TX)
- Eve of Three Kings' Day (PR, religious)
- Feast of Epiphany / Feast of Theophany (religious)
- Fred Korematsu Day (AZ, CA, FL, HI, VA)
- Idaho Human Rights Day (ID)
- Inauguration Day (federal quadrennial)
- Kansas Day (KS)
- Makar Sankranti / Pongal (religious)
- Robert E. Lee Day (FL)
- Stephen Foster Memorial Day (36)
- The Eighth (LA)
- Three Kings' Day (PR, VI, religious)
- World Religion Day (religious)
- Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year (NY, cultural, religious)
- Vasant Panchami (religious)
American Heart Month
Black History Month
- Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín (PR)
- Candlemas (religious)
- Charles Darwin Day / Darwin Day (CA, DE)
- Day of Remembrance (CA, OR, WA, cultural)
- Georgia Day (GA)
- Groundhog Day
- Imbolc (religious)
- Lincoln's Birthday (CA, CT, IL, IN, MO, NY, WV)
- National Girls and Women in Sports Day
- National Freedom Day (36)
- Nirvana Day (religious)
- Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple (religious)
- Promised Reformer Day (religious)
- Ronald Reagan Day (CA)
- Rosa Parks Day (CA, MO)
- Saviours' Day (religious)
- Susan B. Anthony Day (CA, FL, NY, WI, WV, proposed federal)
- Tu B’shvat (religious)
- Ash Wednesday (PR, religious)
- Carnival (PR, VI, religious)
- Clean Monday (religious)
- Courir de Mardi Gras (religious)
- Intercalary Days (religious)
- Mahashivaratri (religious)
- Purim (religious)
- Shrove Tuesday (religious)
- Super Tuesday
Irish-American Heritage Month
Colon Cancer Awareness Month
Women's History Month
- Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos (religious)
- Casimir Pulaski Day (IL)
- Cesar Chavez Day (CA, CO, TX, proposed federal)
- Emancipation Day in Puerto Rico (PR, cultural)
- Evacuation Day (Suffolk County, MA)
- Harriet Tubman Day (NY)
- Hola Mohalla (religious)
- Holi (NY, religious)
- L. Ron Hubbard's Birthday (religious)
- Lailat al-Mi'raj (religious)
- Liberation and Freedom Day (Charlottesville, VA, cultural)
- Mardi Gras (AL (in two counties), LA)
- Maryland Day (MD)
- Medal of Honor Day
- National Poison Prevention Week (week)
- Nowruz (cultural, religious)
- Ostara (religious)
- Pi Day
- Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Day (HI)
- Promised Messiah Day (religious)
- Saint Joseph's Day (religious)
- Seward's Day (AK)
- Texas Independence Day (TX)
- Town Meeting Day (VT)
- Transfer Day (VI)
- Trans Day of Visibility (cultural)
- Good Friday (CT, NC, PR, NJ, VI, religious)
- Hanuman Jayanti (religious)
- Holy Thursday (PR, VI, religious)
- Holy Week (PR, religious, week)
- Lazarus Saturday (religious)
- Mahavir Janma Kalyanak (religious)
- Mesha Sankranti / Hindu New Year (religious)
- Palm Sunday (PR, religious)
- Passover (religious, week)
- Easter Monday / Bright Monday (VI, religious)
- Ramnavami (religious)
- Chandramana Uugadi / Souramana Uugadi (religious)
Arab American Heritage Month
Confederate History Month
Asian American and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Military Appreciation Month
- Memorial Day (federal)
- Mother's Day (36)
- Cinco de Mayo
- Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh (religious)
- Ascension of Our Lord (religious)
- Caliphate Day (religious)
- Declaration of the Bab (religious)
- Harvey Milk Day (CA)
- International Workers' Day / May Day (CA, unofficial, proposed state)
- Law Day (36)
- Loyalty Day (36)
- Malcolm X Day (CA, IL, proposed federal)
- Military Spouse Day
- National Day of Prayer (36)
- National Day of Reason
- National Defense Transportation Day (36)
- National Maritime Day (36)
- Peace Officers Memorial Day (36)
- Pentecost (religious)
- Shavuot (religious)
- Truman Day (MO)
- Vesak / Buddha's Birthday (religious)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Pride Month
- Bunker Hill Day (Suffolk County, MA)
- Carolina Day (SC)
- Don Young Day (AK)
- Fast of the Holy Apostles (religious)
- Flag Day (36, proposed federal)
- Helen Keller Day (PA)
- Honor America Days (3 weeks)
- Jefferson Davis Day (AL, FL)
- Kamehameha Day (HI)
- Litha (religious)
- Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (religious)
- Odunde Festival (Philadelphia, PA, cultural)
- Senior Week (week)
- Saint John's Day (PR, religious)
- West Virginia Day (WV)
- Asalha Puja Day (religious)
- Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (PR)
- Birthday of Dr. José Celso Barbosa (PR)
- Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands (VI, cultural)
- Guru Purnima (religious)
- Khordad Sal (religious)
- Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea (HI, unofficial, cultural)
- Martyrdom of the Báb (religious)
- Parents' Day (36)
- Pioneer Day (UT)
- Puerto Rico Constitution Day (PR)
- Tisha B'Av (religious)
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Labor Day (federal)
- Brazilian Day (NY, cultural)
- California Admission Day (CA)
- Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (36)
- Constitution Day (36)
- Constitution Week
- Defenders Day (MD)
- Elevation of the Holy Cross (religious)
- Feast of San Gennaro (NY, cultural, religious)
- Ganesh Chaturthi (religious)
- Gold Star Mother's Day (36)
- His Holiness Sakya Trizin's Birthday (religious)
- Mabon (religious)
- National Grandparents Day (36)
- National Payroll Week (week)
- Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos (religious)
- Native American Day (proposed federal)
- Patriot Day (36)
- Von Steuben Day
Hispanic Heritage Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month
Filipino American History Month
LGBT History Month
- Columbus Day (federal)
- Halloween
- Alaska Day (AK)
- Child Health Day (36)
- General Pulaski Memorial Day
- German-American Day
- Indigenous Peoples' Day
- International Day of Non-Violence
- Leif Erikson Day (36)
- Missouri Day (MO)
- Nanomonestotse (cultural)
- National School Lunch Week (week)
- Native American Day in South Dakota (SD)
- Nevada Day (NV)
- Spirit Day (cultural)
- Sweetest Day
- Sukkot / Feast of Tabernacles (religious, week)
- Virgin Islands–Puerto Rico Friendship Day (PR, VI)
- White Cane Safety Day (36)
Native American Indian Heritage Month
- Veterans Day (federal)
- Thanksgiving (federal)
- Ascension of ‘Abdu’l Baha (religious)
- All Saints' Day (religious)
- Beginning of the Nativity Fast (religious)
- Beltane / Samhain (religious)
- Barack Obama Day in Alabama (Perry County, AL)
- D. Hamilton Jackson Day (VI)
- Day after Thanksgiving (24)
- Day of the Covenant (religious)
- Discovery of Puerto Rico Day (PR)
- Election Day (CA, DE, HI, KY, MT, NJ, NY, OH, PR, VA, WV, proposed federal)
- Family Day (NV)
- Guru Nanak Gurpurab (religious)
- Hanukkah (religious)
- Lā Kūʻokoʻa (HI, unofficial, cultural)
- Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (religious)
- Native American Heritage Day (MD, WA, cultural)
- Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple (religious)
- Trans Day of Remembrance (cultural)
- Unthanksgiving Day (cultural)
- Advent Sunday (religious)
- Alabama Day (AL)
- Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (religious)
- Bodhi Day (religious)
- Chalica (religious)
- Christmas Eve (KY, NC, SC, PR, VI)
- Day after Christmas (KY, NC, SC, TX, VI)
- Festivus
- HumanLight
- Hanukkah (religious, week)
- Immaculate Conception (religious)
- Indiana Day (IN)
- Kwanzaa (cultural, week)
- Milad Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (religious)
- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (36)
- Nativity of Jesus (religious)
- Old Year's Night (VI)
- Pan American Aviation Day (36)
- Pancha Ganapati (religious, week)
- Rosa Parks Day (OH, OR)
- Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (religious)
- Wright Brothers Day (36)
- Yule (religious)
- Zartosht No-Diso (religious)
(federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies