This Day in the Law
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May 1

Law Day (1958)


On May 1, 1958, May 1 was designated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 to be celebrated as Law Day. In particular, President Eisenhower designated May 1, 1958 as the first official Law Day to commemorate the importance law in the development of the United States.

Law Day was originally proposed in 1957 by American Bar Association (ABA) President Charles Rhyne as a special day to celebrate the U.S. legal system.  In February 1958, President Eisenhower issued a Presidential Proclamation establishing May 1 as Law Day, and every president since then has issued the annual Law Day proclamation.

In 1961, May 1 was designated by a joint resolution of Congress (Public Law 87-20, 75 Stat. 43) as the official date for Law Day. While Law Day is not an actual government holiday, it was created in part to offset perceived communist celebrations, such as May Day.

Law Day is currently codified in U.S. Code, Title 36, Section 113, and states:
(a) Designation. – May 1 is Law Day, U.S.A.
(b) Purpose. – Law Day, U.S.A., is a special day of celebration by the people of the United States –
(1) in appreciation of their liberties and the reaffirmation of their loyalty to the United States and of their rededication to the ideals of equality and justice under law in their relations with each other and with other countries; and
(2) for the cultivation of the respect for law that is so vital to the democratic way of life.
(c) Proclamation. – The President is requested to issue a proclamation –
(1) calling on all public officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on Law Day, U.S.A.; and
(2) inviting the people of the United States to observe Law Day, U.S.A., with appropriate ceremonies and in other appropriate ways, through public entities and private organizations and in schools and other suitable places.
Each year the American Bar Association (ABA) creates a theme for Law Day. In 2009, the ABA’s theme was "A Legacy of Liberty – Celebrating Lincoln’s Bicentennial." The ABA’s 2010 Law Day theme is titled: 21st Century: Enduring Traditions, Emerging Challenges.

The world continues to become more global all the time. Communication technologies, economic markets, the Internet, and other developments constantly reshape how societies operate. With these developments come legal responsibilities to adapt to the every changing world. Citizens of countries must learn not only their legal systems, but also must become knowledgeable about other legal systems to adequately interact in our global world.

So, please take some time on this day – Law Day – to reflect on the importance of the law in the development of our world and all the areas that the law affects, including (to name a few): business transactions, human rights, criminal justice, environmental concerns, immigration between countries, new inventions, dispute resolution, energy development, etc. These issues are no longer just local issues – they are becoming global issues that influence the development of the human race.