[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 

Proclamation 8665 of April 29, 2011

Law Day, U.S.A., 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
At the core of our Nation's values is our faith in the ideals of
equality and justice under law. It is a belief embedded in our most
cherished documents, and honored by President Eisenhower when he
established Law Day in 1958 as ``a day of national dedication to the
principles of government under law.'' Each Law Day, we uphold our
commitment to the rule of law and celebrate its protection of the
freedoms we enjoy.
This year, we pay tribute to one of America's Founders and our second
President, John Adams. As a young attorney in colonial Massachusetts,
John Adams was asked to represent a British officer and eight British
soldiers charged with firing into a crowd and killing five men in the
Boston Massacre. In the face of mass public outcry and at great personal
risk, he accepted the case and showed the world that America is a nation
of laws and that a fair trial is the right of all people.
President Adams' legacy of dedication to fairness and the rights of the
accused has been carried forward by members of the legal profession for
more than two centuries. It is championed by those who represent the
accused and exemplified by women and men who are devoted to securing
equal rights for all, both in America and around the world.
On this Law Day, I encourage all Americans to celebrate and reflect upon
the example left to us by President John Adams and our centuries of
adherence to the rule of law. In so doing, we help ensure future
generations will inherit and promote the ideals that help move our
Nation forward.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, in accordance with Public Law 87-20, as amended, do hereby
proclaim May 1, 2011, as Law Day, U.S.A. I call upon all Americans to
acknowledge the importance of our Nation's legal and judicial systems
with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and to display the flag of
the United States in support of this national observance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
fifth.
BARACK OBAMA