The definition of loyalty is the quality of being faithful to someone or something else. A good example of loyalty is how someone feels about their country.
In the United States, Loyalty Day is a day meant for the reaffirmation of loyalty to our nation, and for the recognition of the heritage of American freedom.
While initially established to counterbalance the May 1 celebrations of the Communist Party in the United States, Loyalty Day has been honored with an official proclamation every year, by every U.S. president, since its inception as a legal holiday in 1958.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower first issued a proclamation to designate May 1 as Loyalty Day in 1955, stating in his proclamation, “The prime requisite for retaining our freedom is unswerving devotion to the liberties embodied in our Constitution. It is fitting that a special day be set aside for solemn reevaluation of those priceless gifts of freedom which are our heritage, to the end that we may stimulate and renew that high sense of patriotism which has signalized our glorious history as a Nation.”
Each presidential proclamation has been decidedly different, reflecting each president’s own definition of loyalty, and with a unique emphasis in relation to the threats of the era.
Last year’s presidential proclamation called on Americans to do all that we can to form a more perfect Union, coming together around the values and ideals that make us one united people. The weaving together of diverse cultures, heritages, religions, backgrounds, and ideals across generations has sparked our capacity to build the strongest, freest, and most prosperous country the world has ever known. We are stronger together, and must strive to create a fairer and more just society for all.
Today, we must remind ourselves and others that there is no substitute for loyalty, and we must pledge ourselves to maintain and defend a free society in which loyalty is respected and encouraged.
We must not forget that sacrifices will continue to be demanded of our military as they fight and protect us against the new evils of today.
It is our obligation to fully demonstrate our commitment to them and to prove that America stands behind them. It is the least we can do.
Our legacies of freedom, so courageously defended by so many, along with determination and hope in looking toward the future, will be there for generations forthcoming. We can all be gratified in knowing that.
This Loyalty Day, let us reaffirm that embracing the truth of what defines us as one American people is our dedication to common ideals – rather than similarities of origin or creed. Let us reaffirm that embracing this truth lies at the heart of what it means to be a citizen in the United States of America.
Happy Loyalty Day!