National Religious Freedom Day

National Religious Freedom Day
Observed by	United States of America
Date	January 16
Next time	16 January 2017
Frequency	annual
Related to	National Day of Prayer, Thanksgiving

National Religious Freedom Day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly's adoption of Thomas Jefferson's landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on January 16, 1786. That statute became the basis for the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and led to freedom of religion for all Americans.^[1]

Religious Freedom Day is officially proclaimed on January 16 each year by an annual statement by the President of the United States.

See also

• National Day of Prayer

References

1. A Senator Speaks Out on Liberty, Opportunity, and Security. 2006. Retrieved 6 December 2012. So the Establishment Clause, as well as our Bill of Rights, and our Declaration of Independence, are all modeled on the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and the Virginia Declaration of Rights.

External links

• Presidential Proclamation--Religious Freedom Day, Whitehouse.gov, January 15, 2010
• Religious Freedom Day