Loyalty Day is observed on May 1 in the
United States. It is a day set aside "for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom". 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.
History
The holiday was first observed in 1921, during the
First Red Scare.[2] It was originally called "Americanization Day,"[2] and it was intended to replace the May 1 ("
May Day") celebration of the
International Workers' Day,[3] which commemorates the 1886
Haymarket affair in Chicago.[4] The need for Loyalty Day was recognized in response to the
October Revolution in Russia.[3] 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.[2]
During the
Second Red Scare, it was recognized by the
U.S. Congress on April 27, 1955,[5] and made an official reoccurring holiday on July 18, 1958 (Public Law 85-529).[1][6] President
Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1, 1955, the first observance of Loyalty Day.[7] In 1958, Eisenhower urged Congress to move
Child Health Day to the First Monday in October, to avoid conflicting with Loyalty Day.[6][8] Loyalty Day has been recognized with an official proclamation every year by every president since its inception as a legal holiday in 1958.[9][10]
Celebrations/Activities
Loyalty Day events, mostly parades, have been held in:
(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.
^
ab"36 U.S. Code § 115 – Loyalty Day". Legal Information Institute. New York: Cornell University Law School. August 12, 1998. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
^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.
(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