Veterans' Day Observed by Heritage Square Museum

On Veterans’ Day, Americans recognize the sacrifices and dedication of all surviving military veterans, whether during wartime or during peacetime. This upcoming weekend (November 14, 15 and 16th), in honor of Veteran’s Day, all active military and retired veterans will receive free admission to Heritage Square Museum. Please make sure to have your military ID cards available as confirmation of service.

Many individuals may confuse Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day in regards to honoring our veterans. Memorial Day is specifically set aside to pay our respects for those military personnel how have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in protecting the liberty and freedom of American citizens. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans’ Day, however Veterans’ Day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans.

Veterans’ Day began after World War I. Many Although many believed World War I didn’t end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, fighting had actually ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary termination of hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany, went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. President Wilson’s original concept included the day to be observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I on June 4, 1926, when they passed a concurrent resolution where they recognized November 11, 1918 the true start of armistice between Allies and Germany, and “the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations”. Additionally, the resolution called for a “recurring anniversary of this date” to commemorate “with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises” to continue peace-making efforts between nations; and declared November 11 to be a legal holiday, calling upon “officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings” and invited “the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.”

Still, it took another act of Congress, approved on May 13, 1938, to make November 11th each calendar year a legal holiday, known as Armistice Day. Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but after the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in World War II; and after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

However, in 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill signed on June 28, made Veterans’ Day part of a sweeping change to create four national holiday Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans’ Day, and Columbus Day; thus creating three-day weekends for Federal employees and to encourage Americans to travel, do recreational and cultural activities, and to stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Yet, many individuals States did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate these four holidays on their original dates. It was not until September 20, 1975, when President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans’ Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978.

This restoration of the observance of Veterans’ Day to November 11 preserved the historical significance of the date, but helped refocus attention on the importance of Veterans’ Day as a day honoring our American veterans for their sacrifices, service to their country, and their enduring patriotism.

Heritage Square to participate in Member Appreciation Days

Heritage Square Museum members can enjoy FREE ADMISSION and 20% off at 21 southland institutions during Member Appreciation Days. Your Heritage Square membership card will provide free admission to non-ticketed exhibitions and 20% discount at each location’s stores. The discount cannot be combined with other discounts. Additional discounts do not apply for sale items and other exempt items.

Friday-Sunday, November 28-30
LACMA 323-857-6146 www.lacma.org

Saturday & Sunday, November 29 & 30
Pacific Asia Museum http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/ Craft and Folk Art Museum 323-857-4677 http://www.cafam.org/Pasadena Museum of History 626-577-1660 http://www.pasadenahistory.org/ San Diego Museum of Art 619-696-1971 http://www.sdmart.org/

Friday & Saturday, December 5 & 6
Santa Monica Museum of Art 310-586-6488 http://www.smmoa.org/

Saturday December 6
The FIDM Museum Shop 213-624-1200 ext.3265 http://www.fidmmuseumshop.com/

Saturday & Sunday, December 6 & 7
Autry National Center/Museum of the American West 323-667-2000 http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/ California Science Center 213-744-7422 http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels 213-680-5277 http://www.olacathedral.org/Fowler Museum at UCLA 310-206-7004 http://www.fowler.ucla.edu/Hammer Museum 310-443-7000 http://www.hammer.ucla.edu/ J. Paul Getty Museum 310-440-7300 http://www.getty.edu/ Japanese American National Museum 213-625-0414 http://www.janmstore.com/ Kidspace Children’s Museum 626-449-9144 http://www.kidspacemuseum.org/ Library Store at the Central Library 213-228-7550 http://www.librarystore.org/ Skirball Cultural Center 310-440-4505 http://www.skirball.org/Southwest Museum 323-221-2164 Ext. 227 http://www.southwestmuseum.org/

Saturday & Sunday, December 13 & 14
Heritage Square323-225-2700 http://www.heritagesquare.org/