Truman Day 2023: Truman Day is observed annually on May 8 in Missouri and, if May 8 occurs on a weekend, on the following weekday. During the final months of World War II, Truman made the decision to unleash the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Truman Day is a Missouri state holiday for which state employees receive compensated time off. Missouri is celebrating a special day because Harry S. Truman is the only U.S. president from the state. The day is also recognised nationally by the Democratic Party in the United States. Truman Day honours the legacy of Harry S. Truman during his time as a senator and president.
HISTORY OF TRUMAN DAY
Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri, on May 8, 1884, to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young Truman. The middle initial ‘S’ was given to him by his parents to honour his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young. 1890 saw the relocation of Truman’s parents to Independence, Missouri, where he laboured as a Shabbos goy for his Jewish neighbours. Truman worked as a mail boy at The Kansas City Star, a timekeeper at the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, and a bank assistant at the Kansas City National Bank of Commerce between 1901 and 1906. In 1906, after serving in the Missouri National Guard from 1905 to 1911, Truman returned to the family farm near Grandview and assumed responsibility for its administration. After the United States’ entry into World War I in 1917, Truman re-enlisted in the National Guard and was sent to France. He commanded Battery D and saw combat at Saint Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne.
Following his return to the United States in 1919, Truman wed Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Wallace. Mary Margaret Truman, the couple’s only child, was born on February 17, 1924. She later became a professional performer and author. With the support of Thomas Pendergast, Truman began his political career in 1922 by becoming the county judge of the eastern district of Jackson County.
Served two four-year terms:
In 1926, he was appointed as the county court’s presiding justice, where he served two four-year terms. In 1934, when it appeared that Truman’s political career was drawing to a close, Pendergast reluctantly supported him for a seat in the U.S. Senate, after his first four choices declined. In January 1935, Truman was inaugurated into the United States Senate as the junior senator for Missouri.
Truman contributed to the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 and the Wheeler-Truman Transportation Act of 1940 during his tenure as a senator. He also chaired the Subcommittee on War Mobilisation of the Committee on Military Affairs, which reportedly saved the country approximately $15 billion. In 1944, he was chosen as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president over Henry A. Wallace. He was inaugurated into office as vice president of the United States on January 20, 1945. Roosevelt died of a brain haemorrhage 82 days into his presidency, and Truman was promptly inaugurated as president. During his two years as president, Truman presided over the conclusion of World War II, the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the First Indochina War, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Cold War. In Independence, Missouri, he constructed the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum after leaving the White House in January 1953.
HOW TO OBSERVE TRUMAN DAY
Visit the Presidential Library and Museum of Harry S. Truman
Independence, Missouri’s Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum is one of the methods to observe Truman Day. It contains President Truman’s historical documents. You can peruse the laws enacted during his administration and appreciate the library’s and museum’s interactive exhibits.
Participate in the events of Truman Day
On Truman Day, Missouri hosts a variety of activities. This includes the Truman Day Baby & Toddler Show, yard sales, and other events. Check online for the schedule of these events, and be sure to attend at least one of them.
Share your felicitations
If you are unable to attend Truman Day events or the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, you can still wish other Americans, particularly those in Missouri, a happy Truman Day. Share your warmest greetings on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even TikTok. Don’t hesitate to use the #TrumanDay hashtag.
Motorcycle Mass and Blessing of the Bikes Day 2023: Date, History, Facts
Five fascinating facts about Truman
The letter ‘S’ in his name has no significance.
After deliberating over his middle name, Truman’s parents decided to give him the middle initial ‘S,’ which is not a name.
He owned a clothing store for males.
Truman and his associate Eddie Jacobson briefly owned a haberdashery in Kansas City before Truman entered politics.
He survived an attempt on his life.
Two Puerto Rican independence militants attempted to kill Truman at Blair House, but he escaped unharmed.
He served as vice president for 82 days.
Truman served as vice president for only 82 days before being sworn in as president.
NATO and the United Nations.
He was instrumental in the formation of the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
WHY TRUMAN DAY IS IMPORTANT
It honours Truman’s legacy.
In addition to taking the decisive action to end World War II, Truman helped establish the United Nations and NATO during his presidency, supported the economic recovery in war-ravaged western Europe, established the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency, and ended racial segregation in the U.S. armed forces, among other accomplishments. During his time as a Missouri senator, judge of Jackson County, and presiding judge, he also accomplished a number of noteworthy feats. Truman Day honours all of these accomplishments and his ongoing influence on the next generation of politicians.
Truman Day honours individuals with Truman’s characteristics.
On Truman Day, the City of Independence presents the ‘Harry S. Truman Public Service Award’ to an individual who exemplifies the same qualities in their position as Truman. This encourages people to continue to emulate the best qualities of President Truman and to aspire for excellence regardless of their position.
It is a chance to educate young individuals.
Truman Day is also a chance to educate young people on the political history of the United States, its constitution, and the numerous bills, acts, and amendments. It is also an opportunity to teach youth how to participate in politics and make their voices heard.
TRUMAN DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | May 8 | Sunday |
| 2023 | May 8 | Monday |
| 2024 | May 8 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 8 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 8 | Friday |
