Proclamation 3615—Von Steuben Day

Whereas many people of German descent and many German American organizations throughout the United States will celebrate the birth date of General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, and

Whereas, the American people of all national origins should commemorate the significant contributions which this great German patriot made to the gaining of our American independence and the establishment of our sovereignty; and

Whereas the name von Steuben serves as a reminder of the tremendous influence and important bearing the lives of the many other great German-born American patriots have had upon the development and expansion of our nation; and

Whereas our nation is deeply indebted to the 8 million Germans who migrated to this country and to their estimated 26 million lineal descendants living today in virtually every community of our country:

Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America do hereby designate September 17, 1964 as von Steuben Day. I invite all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I suggest that programs commemorating the birth of von Steuben serve also as reminders of the contribution of the dedicated American citizens of German derivation.

I ask those great patriotic organizations bearing von Steuben's name or the name of other patriots of his nationality to stress in their celebrations the debt of gratitude which all Americans owe our Founding Fathers for the democratic principles and ideals of freedom which motivated their great decisions and which we today are dedicated to protect, to follow and to preserve for posterity.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this fifteenth day of September in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-ninth.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

By the President:

DEAN RUSK,
Secretary of State.