Barack Obama Day

Last updated

Barack Obama Day
Official portrait of Barack Obama.jpg
President Obama
Observed by Illinois
TypeStatewide
Date August 4
FrequencyAnnual

Barack Obama Day refers to two days of recognition in the United States in honor of Barack Obama, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

Contents

Obama was a member of the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004 and represented the state in the United States Senate from 2005 to 2008 before becoming president. Illinois celebrates the day on August 4, Obama's birthday, each year. Similar to other commemorative holidays, it is not a legal state holiday, i.e. workplaces are not closed on the day. [1]

Perry County, Alabama, has celebrated the second Monday of November as Barack Obama Day since 2009. [2] County offices and schools are closed for the holiday. [3]

Twitter users unofficially celebrated Obama Day on June 14, 2020, posting pictures of the former president, with some using the hashtag #AllBirthdaysMatter in response to All Lives Matter. June 14 is also Donald Trump's birthday. [4]

History

Alabama

The Perry County Commission approved a resolution sponsored by commissioner Albert Turner, Jr. to establish Barack Obama Day by a vote four-to-one in 2008. [5] The holiday was observed starting in 2009. [2]

Illinois

In 2017, Illinois State Representatives André Thapedi and Sonya Harper introduced a bill to designate Barack Obama Day as a state holiday. The original measure would have closed schools and state offices for the day. It was rejected by the House in March 2017, citing expense and the lack of a holiday for other presidents from Illinois such as Ronald Reagan. [6]

That same year, State Senator Emil Jones III and others introduced Illinois Senate Bill 55, which designated August 4 as Barack Obama Day but did not make it an official state holiday. The bill passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly with no votes against, and was signed into law by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner on August 4, 2017. [7] The bill amended the State Commemorative Dates Act to include a new section:

Barack Obama Day. August 4th of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities. [8]

Legislative history

SessionShort descriptionSynopsis as introducedBill numberDate introducedSenateAssemblyGovernorSponsors
100thBarack Obama DayAmends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that August 4 of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day. SB 0055 Prefiled December 28, 2016Passed the Senate 47–0Passed the House 87–0Signed into Law by the Governor on August 4, 2017

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Luther King Jr. Day</span> U.S. holiday, 3rd Monday of January

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year. King was chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law and civil society. The movement led to several groundbreaking legislative reforms in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confederate Memorial Day</span> Observance in some Southern U.S. states

Confederate Memorial Day is a holiday observed in several Southern U.S. states on various dates since the end of the American Civil War. The holiday was originally publicly presented as a day to remember the estimated 258,000 Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal holidays in the United States</span> U.S. government holidays

Federal holidays in the United States are 11 calendar dates designated by the U.S. federal government as holidays. On these days non-essential U.S. federal government offices are closed and federal employees are paid for the day off.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag Day (United States)</span> Holiday commemorating the adoption of the national flag (June 14, 1777)

Flag Day is a holiday celebrated on June 14 in the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The Flag Resolution stated "That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barack Obama</span> President of the United States from 2009 to 2017

Barack Hussein Obama II is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African-American president in U.S. history. Obama previously served as a U.S. senator representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008 and as an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casimir Pulaski Day</span> Holiday celebrated in Illinois, United States

Casimir Pulaski Day is a local holiday officially observed in Illinois, on the first Monday of March in memory of Casimir Pulaski, a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is praised for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution and known as "the father of the American cavalry".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Senate</span> Upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly

The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from individual legislative districts determined by population and redistricted every 10 years; based on the 2020 U.S. census each senator represents approximately 213,347 people. Senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. For example, group one elects senators for terms of four years, four years and two years, group two elects senators for terms of four years, two years and four years, and group three elects senators for terms of two years, four years and four years. This ensures that the Senate reflects changes made when the General Assembly redistricts itself after each census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln's Birthday</span> Holiday celebrating Abraham Lincolns birthday

Lincoln's Birthday is a legal, public holiday in some U.S. states, observed on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, California, Missouri, and New York observe the holiday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cesar Chavez Day</span> US commemorative holiday on March 31

Cesar Chavez Day is a U.S. federal commemorative holiday, proclaimed by President Barack Obama in 2014. The holiday celebrates the birth and legacy of the civil rights and labor movement activist Cesar Chavez on March 31 every year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">US Senate career of Barack Obama</span>

The United States Senate career of Barack Obama began on January 3, 2005, and ended on November 16, 2008. A member of the Democratic Party from the state of Illinois, Obama previously served three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2005. He resigned his seat in the U.S. Senate upon being elected President of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social policy of the Barack Obama administration</span> Social policy

The Almanac of American Politics (2008) rated Barack Obama's overall social policies in 2006 as more conservative than 21% of the Senate, and more liberal than 77% of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidents' Day</span> US holiday honoring George Washington and other presidents

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was from 1789 to 1797 the first U.S. president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speeches of Barack Obama</span> Overview of Barack Obamas speeches

Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Before his presidency, he served in the Illinois Senate (1997–2004) and the United States Senate (2005–2008).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Iowa elections</span>

The Iowa elections, 2018 were held in the U.S. state of Iowa on November 6, 2018. A closed primary election was held on June 5, 2018. All of Iowa's executive officers were up for election as well as all four of Iowa's seats in the United States House of Representatives, 25 (half) of the seats in the Iowa Senate, and all 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barack Obama's farewell address</span> Final public speech of Barack Obama as US President

Barack Obama's farewell address was the final public speech of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, delivered on January 10, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. EST. The farewell address was broadcast on various television and radio stations and livestreamed online by the White House. An estimated 24 million people watched the address live on television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barack Obama tan suit controversy</span> 2014 fashion incident

On August 28, 2014, United States President Barack Obama held a live press conference in which he discussed the prospect of escalating the U.S. military response to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. For the conference, he wore a tan suit, which at the time was unusual for Obama. It received considerable attention, with whether it was appropriate for the subject matter of terrorism being discussed in the media. The issue remained prominent for several days and was widely discussed, often humorously, on television talk shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Virginia House of Delegates election</span>

The 2021 Virginia House of Delegates election for the 162nd Virginia General Assembly were held on November 2, 2021 to coincide with biennial elections in the U.S. state of Virginia. All 100 Delegates are elected to two-year terms in single-member constituencies. Primary elections took place on June 8. This election coincided with the 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial election, the Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, and lastly, the Attorney General election, all of which were won by Republicans. The upper house of the Virginia General Assembly, the Senate of Virginia, held its next elections on November 7, 2023.

References

  1. Carter, Brandon (August 6, 2017). "Illinois makes 'Barack Obama Day' a state holiday". The Hill . Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Renamed schools, streets mark early tributes to Obama". USA Today . January 26, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  3. "Perry Co. Celebrates Annual Obama Holiday - Alabama News". Alabama News. November 14, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  4. Moreau, Jordan (June 14, 2020). "Twitter Users Celebrate Obama With 'All Birthdays Matter' Trend on Trump's Birthday". Variety. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  5. "Alabama County's New Holiday: "Obama Day"". CBS News . December 3, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  6. "Illinois Lawmakers Reject 'Barack Obama Day': Report". Nbcchicago.com. March 21, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  7. "Illinois General Assembly – Bill Status for SB0055". www.ilga.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  8. "5 ILCS 490/ State Commemorative Dates Act". www.ilga.gov. Retrieved June 19, 2018.