The United States doesn’t have an especially large number of federally recognized holidays, but there have been many other days that activists have strived to see honored officially throughout the calendar. And some of their efforts achieved a local or regional audience, but not a Congressional following. The thirteen days described below are examples that nearly became federal holidays.
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Law Day and Loyalty Day
May 1 is Law Day as well as Loyalty Day. Law Day resulted from an initiative of the American Bar Association to promote respect for the law. The creation of Loyalty Day took place during the Cold War period which made it different from the international May Day celebrations. Proposals to increase recognition for both days found only token support in Congress.
Susan B. Anthony Day
Women’s rights advocates have long pushed for Susan B. Anthony’s birthday, February 15, to be a national holiday. It’s a state holiday in a handful of states, including New York and California. Members of Congress have introduced legislation several times, but the proposal has never advanced. Anthony’s Day remains a state holiday, not a federal one.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday celebrated in many cities and states, frequently in place of Columbus Day. Supporters believe Indigenous Peoples’ Day provides the correct recognition to Indigenous history and culture. There have been several bills introduced in Congress to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a federal holiday, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act, but none have been enacted.
Patriot Day (September 11)
On the other side of the country, Patriots’ Day is huge in New England. The day honors the Revolutionary War’s initial battles and includes a special holiday along with the Boston Marathon in Massachusetts and Maine. It has been proposed as a national holiday, but that idea has never gained much traction outside of the region.
Flag Day
You may have heard of Flag Day which dates all the way back to 1916 when President Wilson first declared it. Congress would eventually legislate the holiday in the 1940s. Some schools together with their local communities host events to show their love for the flag. Although veterans made efforts to establish a full national holiday similar to Memorial Day for Flag Day, it remained unrecognized as an official day.
Election Day
The occasional discussion of making Election Day a federal holiday has been fueled by arguments that a day off would make it easier for Americans to vote. Some states provide workers with a right to time off to vote, and Congress has on occasion considered making such a guarantee nationwide. Despite these discussions, however, Election Day remains a working day for most Americans.
Constitution Day
September 17 almost became another day off. It’s Constitution Day. The day we celebrate the signing of the Constitution. It’s also a day to welcome new citizens. Schools receiving federal funding must hold Constitution Day lessons. At various times citizens called for a full day holiday. Lawmakers thought a different tack would work. It is now an educational observance, not a federal holiday.
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 7 is not just another day on the calendar. It’s the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Survivors and veterans fought for years to make it a national holiday. Congress declared it a day of remembrance, but no one gets the day off. Flags are flown at half-mast and ceremonies are held. It remains solemn but not equal to federal holidays.
Cesar Chavez Day
The legacy of Cesar Chavez is honored every March 31 when states celebrate this farmworker and activist. California initiated this holiday, moved by Cesar’s ceaseless work on behalf of laborers, and other states would eventually follow. Schools sometimes close on Cesar Chavez Day, and presidents have issued statements lauding his accomplishments. Although federal recognition was never granted, this holiday still stands as a testament to his pursuit of justice.
Mother’s Day
Millions of Americans celebrate Mother’s Day every year. President Wilson first proclaimed Mother’s Day with the passage of a bill in 1914. Although it is very popular, it was never made an official federal holiday, so banks and offices are open. Advocates tried to make it a federal holiday at first, but Congress was against making more holidays, feeling they would overdo it. Today, it is one of the most popular celebrations in America.
Arbor Day
Imagine a day when an entire country plants trees as a community. Arbor Day is dedicated to that goal. It started in the state of Nebraska in 1872, and expanded as other states joined the celebration. Conservationists hoped to establish it as a federal holiday. Presidents from Benjamin Harrison to Richard Nixon signed official proclamations. The idea never took hold as a paid holiday, and Arbor Day remains a civic day.
Vietnam Veterans Day
Vietnam Veterans Day was created by veterans of the Vietnam War. They wanted a day of recognition for their service. March 29 was the date of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam in 1973. March 29 was chosen as Vietnam Veterans Day in a number of states. Congress made it a national day of observance. Presidents have made an annual proclamation since. It is not, however, a federal holiday and Americans observe it without a day off.
Rosa Parks Day
Rosa Parks Day is either February 4, Rosa Parks’ birthday, or December 1, the day of Rosa Parks’ bus protest. Ohio and California were the first states to start the holiday, followed by more states in later years. In the years since, some have advocated for a federal holiday honoring Rosa Parks and her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Congress has paid tribute to the day, but it never became a federal holiday and is still largely observed at the state level.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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