American Heritage and Loyalty Day
There are many ways people show loyalty: loyalty to friends, to a cause or a country. Loyalty to the United States of America is celebrated every year on May 1st to honor the freedom this country stands for and represents around the world.
Loyalty Day used to be called ‘Americanization Day’ back in the 1920’s, when it was first celebrated with parades and ceremonies at both community and state levels. Nowadays, not many people celebrate Loyalty Day because it’s not recognized as a federal holiday, though it is designated as a national holiday. These days, Loyalty Day has become known as May Day, a day set aside to remember and honor veterans of wars, to enjoy parades and to ensure that loyalty and pride in America is never forgotten. The motto of May Day is, “Remain loyal to America”.
Back in the 1930’s, veterans groups felt that a national day of celebration was in order to help combat the spread of communism throughout the western world. Veterans from World War One, and even some Civil War veterans joined groups promoting a day of remembrance of what the United States of America stood for and to also remember the sacrifices that soldiers throughout this country’s history had suffered and died for. Veterans throughout the country began to organize parades and local events every year, and wrote thousands of letters to congressmen and federal government officials, asking for a day set aside to honor the loyalty for America that runs deep in the American consciousness. Before long, schools, churches and special groups of veterans or military service members joined in. On May 1, 1930, over ten thousand war veterans held a rally at New York’s Union Square to promote and encourage patriotism.
The movement slowly gained ground until the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought America to the brink of war and into the battle. Years of war and thousands of soldiers lost their lives fighting for freedom and against the oppression of Nazism until finally, World War Two was won and America’s war weary sons returned home. The idea of a ‘loyalty’ day continued to strike a chord deep in most Americans and in 1949, President Eisenhower made the day a national observance. Official observances of Loyalty Day began in 1950, as more than five million people engaged in planned parades, events and speeches held in communities across the nation. In New York City alone, more than one hundred thousand people showed their enduring loyalty for America and vowed never to forget the sacrifices and the blood that has been spilled in the name of democracy and freedom. In 1958, the United States Congress officially proclaimed Loyalty Day as a national holiday.
Loyalty Day is remembered in most schools today, though mostly at the elementary and middle school levels, with children being visited by veterans of various wars who speak of how important it is to show loyalty to our great country. Flags are flown; classrooms and community halls are decorated with red, white and blue bunting, carnations and crepe paper rolls. Picnics and parades are still celebrated in many rural comminutes around the United States, though not as often as they used to be. Loyalty Day is an important, if not official federal holiday. People throughout the United States encourage others, especially the younger generations, to always remember the debt of gratitude that is owed to all our veterans, both living and dead, for their courage and dedication in service to our country. American principles of freedom and democracy will endure forever, thanks to the men and women who have fought and died to preserve the greatest union in the world.
American Heritage and Loyalty Day
There are many ways people show loyalty: loyalty to friends, to a cause or a country. Loyalty to the United States of America is celebrated every year on May 1st to honor the freedom this country stands for and represents around the world.
Loyalty Day used to be called ‘Americanization Day’ back in the 1920’s, when it was first celebrated with parades and ceremonies at both community and state levels. Nowadays, not many people celebrate Loyalty Day because it’s not recognized as a federal holiday, though it is designated as a national holiday. These days, Loyalty Day has become known as May Day, a day set aside to remember and honor veterans of wars, to enjoy parades and to ensure that loyalty and pride in America is never forgotten. The motto of May Day is, “Remain loyal to America”.
Back in the 1930’s, veterans groups felt that a national day of celebration was in order to help combat the spread of communism throughout the western world. Veterans from World War One, and even some Civil War veterans joined groups promoting a day of remembrance of what the United States of America stood for and to also remember the sacrifices that soldiers throughout this country’s history had suffered and died for. Veterans throughout the country began to organize parades and local events every year, and wrote thousands of letters to congressmen and federal government officials, asking for a day set aside to honor the loyalty for America that runs deep in the American consciousness. Before long, schools, churches and special groups of veterans or military service members joined in. On May 1, 1930, over ten thousand war veterans held a rally at New York’s Union Square to promote and encourage patriotism.
The movement slowly gained ground until the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought America to the brink of war and into the battle. Years of war and thousands of soldiers lost their lives fighting for freedom and against the oppression of Nazism until finally, World War Two was won and America’s war weary sons returned home. The idea of a ‘loyalty’ day continued to strike a chord deep in most Americans and in 1949, President Eisenhower made the day a national observance. Official observances of Loyalty Day began in 1950, as more than five million people engaged in planned parades, events and speeches held in communities across the nation. In New York City alone, more than one hundred thousand people showed their enduring loyalty for America and vowed never to forget the sacrifices and the blood that has been spilled in the name of democracy and freedom. In 1958, the United States Congress officially proclaimed Loyalty Day as a national holiday.
Loyalty Day is remembered in most schools today, though mostly at the elementary and middle school levels, with children being visited by veterans of various wars who speak of how important it is to show loyalty to our great country. Flags are flown; classrooms and community halls are decorated with red, white and blue bunting, carnations and crepe paper rolls. Picnics and parades are still celebrated in many rural comminutes around the United States, though not as often as they used to be. Loyalty Day is an important, if not official federal holiday. People throughout the United States encourage others, especially the younger generations, to always remember the debt of gratitude that is owed to all our veterans, both living and dead, for their courage and dedication in service to our country. American principles of freedom and democracy will endure forever, thanks to the men and women who have fought and died to preserve the greatest union in the world.