Earth Day

April 22^nd may just seem like any old day to many people. To others, this is better known as Earth Day. It is one of the few environmental holidays around that celebrates our planet across all countries. The holiday has activism in its roots, although it is a widely peaceful holiday. Earth Day serves as an important reminder that not doing anything impacts the environment just the same as harming it.

History

In the late 1960s, people were becoming more aware of their surroundings along with many of the atrocities that were taking place. This was also the start of the early stages of the modern day environmental movement. The public started to question how oil use impacted the environment. Major cities across the United States were already suffering from air pollution, including Los Angeles.

In 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin was inspired to create a day for environmental awareness after seeing a tragic oil spill in southern California. He also gained inspiration from young activists of the day who regularly stood up against officials for wrongdoings, such as war and racism.

Senator Nelson declared the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. During this day, 20 million people took the streets in support of this concept. Earth Day was founded as a way to help increase environmental awareness, as well as promote changes within communities to help make the world a better place for everyone.

The first Earth Day was so successful that it spawned a non-profit group called the Earth Day Network in 1993. Now the holiday is celebrated in almost 200 countries and by over 500 million people globally. It is considered one of the largest secular holidays in the world, and one that everyone has a stake in.

Types of Celebrations

While Earth Day may have been inspired by activism and protests, this holiday is celebrated in numerous ways. Children are encouraged to participate by making pictures of the earth or helping grown-ups plant trees. Mass recycling and trash pickup events are also often organized on Earth Day.

Educational events are numerous on this holiday. Some of the facts may come across as negative, but the overall message of Earth Day is a positive one. People are encouraged to celebrate the holiday in their own way, but the point is that everyone can make a difference in the environment by making small changes in their lifestyles.

Activism

To some people, making personal changes isn’t enough. Earth Day is often a day for protests across the globe, particularly against oil manufacturers and other industries that are viewed as negatively contributing to the environment. The majority of these protests are peaceful, but they can be dangerous in nations that do not protect freedom of speech as openly as the United States.

Observations

While Earth Day has undoubtedly gained many supporters over the last few decades, it is not considered an official public holiday. If Earth Day falls on a weekday, schools, banks and government offices are still open. In some environmental industries, however, some employers grant their workers the day off or host celebrations at work. Many teachers have taken Earth Day a step further by including lessons about the environment over the course of the entire week.

Earth Day Gift Ideas

National Freedom Day

In the United States, citizens celebrate National Freedom Day on February 1^st to commemorate the 13^th Amendment. Signed by Abraham Lincoln on February 1, 1865, the 13^th Amendment officially abolished slavery. While this is the primary purpose of the celebrations, the holiday is also meant to promote freedom for people of all races, genders and religions.

History

At the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln officially signed the 13^th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. This amendment officially declared both slavery and involuntary servitude against the law. This law was years in the making, but it was not signed until 1865 due to controversies within the country. President Lincoln was able to sign the law before his death two months later.

While February 1, 1865 was an historic day, it was not officially celebrated as a holiday until nearly a century later. The idea stemmed from Richard Robert Wright, Sr., who was a former slave. He was born into slavery 10 years before Lincoln signed the 13^th Amendment. Upon his emancipation, he would go onto attend school and promote education among all children during the course of his lifetime. He also served in the military, with his most prominent position as major during the Spanish-American War.

Wright eventually settled down in Philadelphia where he had a long and successful career. During this time, he promoted the idea of creating a holiday on February 1^st to commemorate the Constitution’s 13^th Amendment. Both the Senate and House of Representatives passed the bill in consent of making February 1^st National Freedom Day. President Harry Truman signed the bill into law on June 30, 1948. Sadly, Wright didn’t witness his idea coming to fruition, as he died one year earlier at the age of 92.

Celebrations

Every year, a wreath is laid at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to commemorate National Freedom Day. It is predominantly a day of reflection, although there are various types of celebrations across the country. The primary theme of the holiday is freedom for all. Some people celebrate by holding parades, while others hold rallies to promote international freedom.

National Freedom Day is often viewed as a kick-start to Black History Month, which is observed during the entire month of February. However, the concept of this month-long celebration actually got its start in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. Woodson was an historian who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and he advocated for the second week of February to be dedicated to the celebration of African-American history. He chose the second week of February because it coincided with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass as well as President Lincoln. The weekly celebration would eventually expand to a month, with National Freedom Day as the first official holiday.

National Freedom Day is celebrated across the country, but it isn’t an official federal holiday. This means that schools, banks and the government all stay open on this day. Due to Wright’s lifelong devotion to education, some organizations offer scholarships to prospective college students on National Freedom Day.

National Freedom Day Gift Ideas

Vintage Wheels Of Freedom 1960 Detroit National Auto Show Postcard 1st Day Issue
$2500.0

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Tamashii Nation 2012 Metal Build Gundam 00 Freedom Gundam Prism Coat Ver. Bandai
$419.99

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Tamashii Nation 2012 Metal Build Freedom Gundam Prism Coat Ver.
$399.95

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New Tamashii Nation 2012 Metal Build Freedom Gundam Prism Coating Ver. Japan
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New Tamshii Nation 2012 Exclusive Metal Build Freedom Gundam Prism Coating Japan
$393.0

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Metal Build Gundam Seed Freedom Prism Coating Tamashii Nation Limited Die Cast
$299.99

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Tamashii Nation 2012 Bandai Metal Build Freedom Gundam Prism Coat Ver. Seed
$289.99

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Metal Build Freedom Gundam Action Figure Tamashii Nation Bandai Japan #767
$234.99

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American National Emblem Bald Eagle In Flight Freedom Sculpture
$150.0

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Bald Eagle In Flight American National Emblem Freedom Sculpture
$84.95

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Us Army National Guard American Soldier Defender Of Freedom Complete- All In 1
$65.0

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Communist Bulgarian National Freedom 2 Class Medal Box
$62.0

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Inauguration Day

Inauguration Day marks the date in which the elected president and vice-president of the United States are sworn in for four-year terms. It occurs on January 20^th every four years, and directly after the November presidential election. The elected president’s new term begins at noon EST on January 20^th.

History

Inauguration Day is mandated by the 20^th Amendment. Prior to the amendment being added to the Constitution, a president’s new term took place on March 4^th. This old date was chosen to commemorate the birth of the Constitution in 1789. The 20^th Amendment also requires that the elected president takes an oath in an official ceremony. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to follow the new law at the start of his second term on January 20, 1937.

The public inauguration always takes place at the Congressional building. Attendees include former presidents, justices of the Supreme Court, members of Congress and military officials. The swearing-in ceremony has been televised on television since 1949 when President Truman delivered his address. Inauguration Day was first streamed on the Internet during President Clinton’s inauguration in 1997.

Types of Celebrations

The types of celebrations conducted during Inauguration Day have come and gone. Officially, the swearing-in and address on the part of the elected president are all that is required. All other celebration plans are left up to the president as well as the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Traditionally there is a parade along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol Building to the White House. Most Inauguration Day ceremonies conclude with a dinner and dance.

Considerations

While Inauguration Day is an important holiday related to the U.S. government, it isn’t recognized as a federal holiday. The exception is Washington D.C., where the date is a federal holiday in order to help clear the way for people to enjoy the anticipated celebrations at the nation’s capital. Local governments, public schools and organizations in other states generally stay open on this day. Such circumstances are similar to that of Election Day.

The official holiday falls on one single day, but celebrations usually take place during the surrounding weeks. For this reason, visitors to Washington, D.C. may find it difficult to navigate around smoothly over the second half of January of inauguration year.

U.S. citizens get to enjoy the right to free speech. In some instances, this has evolved into protests on Inauguration Day from citizens who disapprove of the newly elected president. Protests have increased steadily since the turn of the century as American politics have become more divided. Unfortunately, some protests have turned violent so security is at a heightened alert on every Inauguration Day to help keep the peace.

Special Circumstances for 2013

In 2013, the traditional Inauguration Day is slated for observance on January 20^th. However, since this date falls is on Sunday, the public ceremonies and celebrations won’t take place until Monday, January 21^st. This is the same date as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is a federal holiday. The last time the two holidays coincided was during the second inauguration of President Clinton on January 20, 1997. President Obama will still be sworn in for his second term on January 20^th, but it will be a private ceremony on that Sunday.

By: Kristeen Moore

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

December 7, 1941 marks the day that the Empire of Japan attacked the U.S. Army and Navy in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack at the base also officially marked U.S. involvement in World War II. Today, December 7^th is known as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, as Americans remember the thousands of soldiers killed and injured during that day.

Until September 11, 2001, the events at Pearl Harbor were the deadliest attack on American soil. At least 2,400 people lost their lives, and over 1,000 were wounded. While most of the deaths and injuries were related to the sinking of naval ships, other soldiers lost their lives in airplanes. On top of that, civilians in the surrounding area were injured from the morning’s surprise attacks.

December 7^th was immediately recognized as Pearl Harbor day, and it was one day that would not easily be forgotten. However, it wasn’t officially a holiday until Congress dubbed December 7^th as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in 1994. Just three years before, on the 50^th anniversary of the attacks, Congress also created commemorative medals for all those who were at Pearl Harbor that day. Civilians were also included as recipients of the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal.

After the end of World War II, it took time to recover and reflect from all the aftermath. In 1962, the USS Arizona memorial was built in Pearl Harbor right over the sunken ship. The memorial holds the names of all those who lost their lives that day. It is one of the most visited places in Hawaii today, and you can get there from the Pearl Harbor Visitor’s Center on a guided tour boat. The ship went down with many soldiers trapped inside—they were never recovered. Small amounts of oil still leak out from the ship at the sea floor.

While the Arizona is the most popular Pearl Harbor memorial to visit, you can also see the wreckage and memorial of the USS Utah. Also located within Pearl Harbor, it is just north of Ford Island. You can get to the memorial by boat, and you can also see parts of the wreckage from shore.

A visit to Hawaii isn’t the only way you can observe Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. While this isn’t declared a federal holiday, Pearl Harbor Day is widely celebrated across the country every year. Parades, wreath ceremonies and public events are just some of the few ways in which veterans and civilians come together to remember all who lost their lives on that tragic day. It is common for people to lower their U.S. flags to half-staff for the full day.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that the day was one “which will live in infamy.” There was a great deal of truth and wisdom in those words, as Americans still observe Pearl Harbor Day now more than 70 years later. While the events may not be as fresh as the attacks on 9/11, it is still a significant part of American history that is not likely to ever be forgotten. The date particularly hits home to the soldiers who survived that day, as well as the family and friends of all involved in the tragedy.

2012 marks the 71^st anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is hosting special tours and commemorative events during the entire first week of December, with the official anniversary event on the 7^th. There are other events held across the country as well, so you won’t have to look far in order to participate in this holiday of reflection.

Pearl Harbor Collectibles
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