National Maritime Day
Maritime Day, National
It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who first proclaimed May 22 as National Maritime Day in 1933. Since that time observations of this day have grown in popularity, particularly in American port cities. Ships are opened to the public, maritime art and essay contests are held, and parades and band concerts are common. Environmentalists sometimes take advantage of the attention focused on the country's maritime heritage on this day to draw attention to pollution and deterioration of maritime environments, particularly in large commercial ports like New York City.
U.S. Maritime Service Veterans
P.O. Box 2361
Berkeley, CA 94702
www.usmm.org
Maritime Administration
U.S. Dept. of Transportation
400 Seventh Ave. S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
800-996-2723 or 202-366-5807
www.marad.dot.gov
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 380
AnnivHol-2000, p. 85