Posts Tagged ‘Congress’

National Maritime Day was established by Congress in 1933 to honor the contributions of the merchant marine. Merchant marines are civilians who have defended our freedom since 1775.

On May 22, 1819, the SS Savannah set sail from New Orleans. It was the first transatlantic voyage by a steamship, and the beginning of modern merchant marine history. Merchant marines played vital roles in both the first and second world wars. In World War II, merchant marines were the first to set sail, even before the US had entered the war. And when the war was over, it was merchant marine ships that brought the GIs home.

Each year the President issues an official proclamation declaring May 22nd National Maritime Day.

Siblings Day is set aside to honor brothers and sisters. We honor mothers, fathers, and grandparents, why not siblings? (more…)

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and directed to declare by proclamation that Sir Winston Churchill shall be an honorary citizen of the United States of America.” Public Law 88-6 [H.R. 4374] (more…)

As recently as the 1970s, women’s history was little more than a footnote in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness. The Education Task Force of Sonoma County in California decided to initiate a “Women’s History Week” in 1978 to raise awareness of the accomplishments of women in our history and in the history of the world. (more…)