February 1, 2015 ~ National Freedom Day ~ Superbowl Sunday ~ Sesquincentennial Celebration

National Freedom Day, officially honors the signing by President Abraham Lincoln a Joint Resolution by the Senate and House of Representatives that later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Major Richard Robert Wright Sr., a banker and educator who was formerly enslaved, believed that all Americans should set aside a day to celebrate freedom.

Major Wright invited local and national leaders to meet towards writing the bill and organizing a national movement to establish a national holiday to commemorate Lincoln's signing of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The resulting organization, the National Freedom Association organized, planned and created the memorial date to call attention to the ongoing journey towards freedom and full citizenship for people of African ancestry and other citizens throughout America.

The first offical commemoration took place February 1, 1942, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including a wreath laying ceremony near the Liberty Bell.

National Freedom Day's federal authorization is cited as 36 USC 124 ~ President of the United States of America may issue each year a proclamation designating February 1 as National Freedom Day to commemorate the signing by Abraham Lincoln on February 1, 1865, of the joint resolution adopted by the Senate and the House of Representatives that later was ratified as the 13th amendment to the Constitution.

On June 30, 1948, President Harry Truman signed the joint resolution officially proclaiming February 1 as National Freedom Day.