American Presidents Now Make Yearly Leif Erikson Day Proclamations

America Not Discovered By Columbus and similar works helped Leif Erikson gain a devoted following in the United States. But it soon became apparent that some of his supporters didn't just respect him for being a brilliant explorer—they also liked him because he wasn't a Catholic. The rise in immigration from nations like Poland and Italy sparked a backlash against Catholicism in the United States. Honoring Christopher Columbus—an Italian who espoused Catholicism—seemed offensive to many Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Leif Erikson appeared to them to be much more attractive.

Both Minnesota senator Hubert Humphrey and congressman John Blatnik presented legislation in 1963 to establish Leif Erikson Day as a national holiday. Congress unanimously approved the observance on September 2, 1964, and asked the President to proclaim it every year. Each president since Lyndon B. Johnson has done so, better source needed], frequently utilizing the proclamation to honor the accomplishments of people of Nordic origin in general and the spirit of exploration. The Canadian Parliament has introduced bills to recognize Leif Erikson Day.

Leif Erikson Day has not yet succeeded in becoming a government holiday, similar to how Columbus Day did. However, a tradition that began in 1964 calls for the current U.S. president to recognize Scandinavian-Americans on October 9 with a proclamation.