What is National Leif Erikson Day?

Tour a Norwegian heritage museum. Learn about Norse roots, their discovery, and more.. Dive into the tale of this discovery in books as well.. We suggest Who was Leif Erikson by Nico Medina or Before Columbus: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's Leif Erikson Expedition Who was Leif Erikson by Nico Medina or Before Columbus: Who was Leif Erikson by Nico Medina or Before Columbus: The Leif Erikson Expedition. Share your Norse roots.. However you celebrate, use #LeifEriksonDay to post on social media.

History of erikson day leif national leif erikson day has influenced national leif erikson day

President Calvin Coolidge acknowledged Leif Erikson as the discoverer of America in 1925, at the Norse-American Centennial, thanks to Norwegian-American scholars such as Knut Geirset and Ludvig-Hektoen.

Representative John Blatnik of Duluth introduced a bill in 1963 to celebrate Leif Erikson Day around the world. The United States Congress passed Joint Resolution 88-566 on September 2, 1964, authorizing the President to name October 9 as Leif Erikson Day. President Lyndon B. Johnson and every president since have served. The Presidents have lauded Americans of Nordic descent generally and the spirit of discovery in the proclamations.

In comparison to the federal observance, several states officially honor National Leif Erikson Day. This is especially true in the Upper Midwest, where large numbers of people from the Nordic countries settled.