However, the use of V-J Day was so widespread that in 1999, the General Assembly found it necessary to pass a law banning any government entity from referring to the holiday as anything other than Victory Day. John Pastore commemorating the anniversary of Japanese surrender even calls it Victory Day. In 1966, the General Assembly gave the holiday its current place on the calendar, the second Monday in August each year.įor years, Arkansas was the only other state with an official holiday to commemorate the end of World War II, but has since ended it.Īlthough for decades many Rhode Islanders referred to the holiday as V-J Day (for Victory over Japan) the official name was always Victory Day and has never been changed. Victory Day was added to Rhode Island’s list of officials holidays in 1948, three years after the end of the war, and was initially observed on Aug. “This could be a great opportunity to officially recognize other important moments such as May 4th Gaspee Days or Juneteenth.” “Although the blatant anti-Japanese sentiment has been dropped, it is time to engage in a collective conversation around the focus of the Victory Day holiday. “As a proud sister, daughter and granddaughter of Army veterans, I fully appreciate the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation during WWII,” Gorbea told The Journal in an email. “Thousands of Rhode Islanders sacrificed themselves for the cause of democracy, and their example is especially important today given the troubling rise of extremism and totalitarianism both abroad and at home.”Įven Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who has waded into cultural battles before (he has proposed reparations for Black and indigenous city residents) steered clear of the Victory Day debate.Īmong sitting state officeholders, Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea goes the furthest toward supporting a holiday overhaul. ![]() ![]() General Treasurer Seth Magaziner “believes it is appropriate to celebrate the end of the second world war as a victory over fascism,” spokesman Evan England wrote in en email. Gina Raimondo, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio all had the same response: no comment. The Journal last week reached out to a dozen of the state’s high-ranking elected officials and 2020 candidates for their takes on whether Victory Day is ripe for a change. “ father served in the Pacific during World War II and he believes that everyone who served with him should continue to be honored and remembered on Victory Day." Dan McKee, wrote The Journal in an email. "The Allied triumph in World War II was nothing less than the triumph of good over evil,“ Andrea Palagi, spokeswoman for Lt. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.But in a state with a large number of veterans and a protective sense of tradition, the idea of taking victory out of Victory Day meets stiff pushback. Window.FB.Event.subscribe('xfbml.render', function() (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')) Public transportation may operate on different schedules than usual. Most banks are closed, but federal offices, including the United States Postal Service, are open. Since it is a state holiday, state and local government offices are closed in Rhode Island. Veteran groups and their supporters observe the holiday, and events may include a commemorative ceremony for veterans. In 1990, Rhode Island General Assembly passed a resolution stating that “Victory Day is not a day to express satisfaction in the destruction and death caused by nuclear bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”ĭespite the controversies, it is believed that such a holiday is needed in remembrance of the sacrifices that veterans made, especially those who were taken as prisoners of war. ![]() While Japanese officials stated that the holiday was harming trade between the two nations, a local Chamber of Commerce official called it “embarrassing.” But, the state of Rhode Island had its defense. In the mid-1980s, with Japan’s economic might growing, there was reportedly a lively debate about whether U.S. The continuation of the holiday is also because of the high number of veterans who retired to the state. Although there have been debates concerning this holiday, it remains observed in Rhode Island. Victory Day, changing its name to World War II Memorial Day. It is said that Rhode Island and Arkansas were the only two states that observed the holiday. Since 1966, the day has been observed on the second Monday in August. Victory Day was first observed in the state of Rhode Island on August 14, 1948.
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