Law Day
Law Day is an observance established in the United States to promote understanding of the law and its role in American democracy. Inaugurated in 1958, it was initiated by the American Bar Association and later proclaimed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to coincide with May Day on May 1. The observance aimed to foster respect for the law and highlight the contrast between freedom under U.S. law and the authoritarian governance often associated with Communism during the Cold War. Law Day became an official national observance in 1961, with President John F. Kennedy encouraging Americans to celebrate it with appropriate ceremonies and the display of the national flag. While initially marked by various activities and events, the observance has since diminished in prominence, with only minor events taking place in recent years. Law Day serves as a reminder of the importance of law in maintaining democratic principles and educating the public about their rights and responsibilities under the law.
Law Day
Another way of observing May Day was inaugurated through the efforts of the American Bar Association. In 1958, upon its urging, President Dwight D. Eisenhower instituted Law Day on May 1. It was not a coincidence that Law Day also fell on May Day. Like Loyalty Day, it was conceived as another attempt to emphasize that the United States is a nation dedicated to the principle of democratic government under law, essentially an anticommunist Cold War initiative. Its avowed educational and patriotic purposes were: “to foster respect for law; to increase public understanding of the place of law in American life; to point up the contrast between freedom under law in the United States and governmental tyranny under Communism.” It became an official nationwide observance in 1961, when a joint resolution of Congress designated May 1 as Law Day, and in his proclamation President John F. Kennedy asked all Americans to display the flag and observe the occasion “with suitable ceremonies.” Law Day was also proclaimed annually by governors and mayors across the nation. In the years since the 1960s, however, Law Day observances have fallen to a handful of minor events.
"History of Law Day." American Bar Association, 1 May 2023, www.americanbar.org/groups/public‗education/law-day/history-of-law-day/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Law Day 2024." American Bar Association, 2024, www.americanbar.org/groups/public‗education/law-day/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"What Is Celebrated on the National Law Day 2024?" Law District, 28 Dec. 2023, www.lawdistrict.com/articles/national-law-day. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.