February 1: National Freedom Day
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who are enslaved today because of human trafficking and other forms of forced labor.
History Note
Richard Robert Wright Sr. knew what it meant to be free, and he knew what it meant to be denied freedom. Wright was born into an enslaved family in Georgia in 1855.
After slavery was abolished in the United States, Wright took advantage of opportunities in front of him. He served in the military, founded a high school and college, started a bank, and owned newspapers. He and his wife, Lydia, reared nine children together.
Richard Wright wanted to establish a new holiday called National Freedom Day. Wright wanted a day to promote goodwill, harmony, and equal opportunity among all citizens. He also wanted the United States to rededicate itself each year to the ideal of freedom.
On February 1, 1941, Wright gathered national and local leaders together in Philadelphia to make plans for establishing National Freedom Day. The next year, the first community-wide observance was held in Philadelphia. Around 3,500 people came together for the celebration. They recited the Pledge of Allegiance in front of the Liberty Bell and held a parade with forty automobiles decorated with flags.
Wright continued to work to make the observance nationwide. He went on a national speaking tour and worked with various legislators. Finally, a bill establishing National Freedom Day was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. President Harry Truman signed it into law on June 30, 1948. Sadly, Wright had died the year before and so did not get to see his dream become reality.
Richard Robert Wright Sr. (1921). Photo courtesy the University of Pennsylvania Archives.
Learn More
Visit Homeschool History for more resources about National Freedom Day and the 13th amendment.
