National Freedom Day is always observed on February 1st and celebrates freedom from slavery. The day honors Abraham Lincoln’s signing of a joint House and Senate resolution on February 1, 1865. That resolution later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
History of the day from the National Day Calendar:
A former slave by the name of Major Richard Robert Wright, Sr. created National Freedom Day. Major Wright was looked upon as a great leader in the community. It was believed by Major Wright, that this day needed to be celebrated.
February 1st holds significance because that was the date Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery in 1865. On June 30, 1948, President Harry Truman signed a bill proclaiming February 1st as the first official National Freedom Day in the United States.
