[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 8 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Page 302]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 6771--Irish-American Heritage Month, 1995

February 23, 1995

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    America's bounty--the abundance of the fields, the beauty of the 
landscape, the richness of our opportunities--has always attracted 
people who are in search of a better life for themselves and their 
children. Our democracy owes its success in great part to the countless 
immigrants who have made their way to our shores and to the tremendous 
diversity this Nation has been blessed with since its beginnings.
    In March, when communities all across the country celebrate St. 
Patrick's Day, our Nation honors the rich heritage of the millions of 
Americans who trace their lineage to Ireland. Coming to this land even 
before our Nation was founded, sons and daughters of Erin undertook the 
perilous journey to make their home in a place of hope and promise. They 
made inestimable contributions to their new country, both during the 
struggle for independence and in the founding of the Republic. Nine of 
the people who signed our Declaration of Independence were of Irish 
origin, and nineteen Presidents of the United States proudly claim Irish 
heritage--including our first President, George Washington.
    The largest wave of Irish immigrants came in the late 1840s, when 
the Great Famine ravaging Ireland caused 2 million people to emigrate, 
mostly to American soil. These immigrants transformed our largest cities 
and helped to build them into dynamic centers of commerce and industry, 
and their contributions to our smaller cities and towns are evident 
today in the cultural, economic, and spiritual makeup of the 
communities. Throughout the country, they faced callous discrimination: 
``No Irish Need Apply'' signs were ugly reminders of the prejudice that 
disfigured our society. But with indomitable spirit and unshakable 
determination, they persevered. They took jobs as laborers, built 
railroads, canals, and schools, and committed themselves to creating a 
brighter future for their families and their new country.
    Today, millions of Americans of Irish ancestry continue to enrich 
all aspects of life in the United States. Irish Americans are proud to 
recall their heritage and their struggle for well-deserved recognition 
in all walks of American life. Throughout their history, they have held 
tightly to their religious faith, their love of family, and their belief 
in the importance of education. The values they brought with them from 
the Emerald Isle have flourished in America--and in turn these values 
have helped America to flourish.
    In tribute to all Irish Americans, the Congress, by Public Law 103-
379, has designated March 1995 as ``Irish-American Heritage Month'' and 
has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in 
observance of this month.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, do hereby proclaim March 1995 as Irish-American 
Heritage Month.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third 
day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-
five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two 
hundred and nineteenth.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 3:11 p.m., February 23, 
1995]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
February 27.