Skip to content
All about politics. — Politics — Seattle — General-news — Economy — Transportation — Fentanyl — weather — Celebrates — Business — Loyalty — Newport

Commemorating "Loyalty Day" in two Northwestern towns on May 1st.

U.S. Loyalty Day, a patriotic observance that peaked during the Cold War in the late 1940s and early 1950s, still persists in some areas to this day.

,   and  ASMedia
3 min read

Commemorating "Loyalty Day" in two Northwestern towns on May 1st.

Not Your Average May Days: The Long-Lived Loyalty Celebration in Newport, Oregon

Every first of May, the small coastal town of Newport, Oregon, stands out as one of the few cities in the United States that commemorates Loyalty Day - a holiday that champions patriotism and loyalty to American values, and is relatively unheard of in other parts of the country.

The unique tradition in Newport stretches back to the 1950s, during the height of the Cold War, when the local community started organizing the Loyalty Days & Sea Fair Festival. Unlike many other cities, however, Newport's event didn't fizzle out as the Cold War thawed. In fact, it's still going strong today.

A Whiff of History

The roots of Newport's Loyalty Days can be traced back to 1938, when the town first held its Newport Crab Festival. Sachiko Otsuki, curator for the Lincoln County Historical Society, explains that the festival was a clever ploy to stimulate the local economy when crab prices were low. The event drew thousands of attendees, lured by the promise of free Dungeness crab.

An organized parade as part of the Loyalty Days & Sea Fair Festival kicked off in 1957, marking the beginning of the Loyalty Days tradition in Newport. During the same period, Portland held its first Loyalty Day parade in 1949, and Oregon Governor Douglas McKay designated May 1 as a statewide holiday in 1950. Finally, President Dwight Eisenhower declared the first Loyalty Day on May 1, 1955, and Congress made it an annual holiday in 1958.

A Different Kind of Patriotism

While Loyalty Day was initially a response to the international worker celebrations symbolized by May 1, today's Newport Loyalty Day event has evolved into a show of support for local veterans and military members. JoAn McAdams, a long-time organizer of the event, notes that "We're not stating that people can't believe what they want to believe," but rather, "it's just a way to show the military population that we still honor them."

In the eyes of Mary Buck, president of the Loyalty Days organizing committee, Newport's status as a "Coast Guard City" contributes to the event's ongoing popularity. "It's important to us, and we think it's important to them," Buck says.

  • Did You Know?Stemming from post-World War I efforts to counter socialism and communism, Loyalty Day was formally designated by Congress in 1955 as a day to reaffirm loyalty to American principles[1]. However, it's worth noting that historical records mention Newport, Rhode Island, rather than Newport, Oregon, as the city that began celebrating Loyalty Day in 1957. It's unclear when, if at all, Newport, Oregon, started its Loyalty Day festivities. For more information on Oregon-specific history, consult local historical societies or newspapers.

Today's Loyalty Days celebration in Newport is less about fighting communism and more about honoring the vital role that local military members play in our community. If you have the chance, don't miss the parade this year - you might just find yourself cheering along with a crowd of fellow townspeople!

Local Headlines

  1. U.S. Contributions Totaled $5.3 Million to Trump's Inauguration, Analysis Shows
  2. Seattle Nonprofit Brings New Hope for Fentanyl Addiction Treatment
  3. May Day Could Break the Mold for Seattle's Weather
  4. Commuting Solo or Taking Transit into Seattle Increases
  5. WA Legislature Pushes Through $78 Billion Budget, Rent Cap, and Gun Permits
  6. The Loyalty Day celebration in Newport, Oregon, is a unique tradition that champions patriotism and loyalty to American values, unlike many other cities.
  7. Newport's Loyalty Days event evolved from the Newport Crab Festival in 1938, initially a strategy to stimulate the local economy during low crab prices.
  8. The organized parade as part of the Loyalty Days & Sea Fair Festival started in 1957, marking the beginning of the Loyalty Days tradition in Newport.
  9. Today, the Newport Loyalty Day event showcases support for local veterans and military members, distinguishing itself from its initial purpose as a response to international worker celebrations.
  10. Newport's status as a "Coast Guard City" plays a significant role in the event's ongoing popularity, according to Mary Buck, president of the Loyalty Days organizing committee.
  11. In other news, the WA Legislature has approved a $78 billion budget, rent cap, and gun permits, while Seattle continues to address issues such as Fentanyl addiction, weather fluctuations, and increasing transport usage.
U.S. Loyalty Day, an ideology that surged during the chilly years of the late '40s and early '50s amid the Cold War, managed to gain a foothold in select areas across the nation. Remnants of this movement persist to this day.

Read also:

Related

Latest