National Freedom Day (Comm Eng Column)

It’s officially February…or it will be within a few days, depending on when you read this. That means that Black History Month has kicked off, and it starts with National Freedom Day!

I’m not sure if this holiday is a familiar one to any of my readers, it’s only vaguely familiar to me since it doesn’t get printed into any of the calendars or planners I’ve purchased over the years, but it seems like an important one to celebrate. It’s one of the few official holidays I’ve written about in recent memory, and with its reminders of our history and its celebration of freedom, shouldn’t it be one we’re familiar with?

Delving right into the history of this holiday, National Freedom Day was first proposed by Major Richard Robert Wright, Sr. He was born into slavery, freed after the Civil War, and thought that the day that all Americans were declared free citizens should be celebrated. February 1 was selected as that day because it is the day on which President Abraham Lincoln signed the joint resolution of the House and Senate that would later be ratified as the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery.

Wright established the National Freedom Day Association in 1941 in an effort to organize this celebration and petition for National Freedom Day to be officially recognized. In 1942, Philadelphia celebrated the first National Freedom Day; however, it would not be until 1948 that the holiday would be made official. Unfortunately, this came a year after the death of Richard Wright, but on June 30, 1948 President Harry Truman signed the proclamation designating February 1 officially as National Freedom Day.

It's important to remember our history, to remember what we came from and where we started, and to recognize what we have achieved. Perhaps in celebration of National Freedom Day you could learn about some of the amazing African Americans from our history. Check out a biography, or watch a movie about an important historical figure…or a contemporary figure if you’d prefer. Want some help finding a book or movie that piques your interest? Never hesitate to ask your friendly neighborhood librarians!

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