Proclamation 4392—Leif Erikson Day, 1975

The United States has been fortunate in the two hundred years of its independence to welcome friendly visitors from all over the earth. Many of those newcomers came to stay and to help make our land the free and prosperous nation that it is today. Many others visited our shores in earlier centuries, among them the daring Norse explorer, Leif Erikson, and, his intrepid crew.

The spirit of adventure and search for new horizons which brought Leif Erikson to this continent has led succeeding generations of Americans to the greatest of accomplishments. In honoring this great Norwegian, we honor all those who came to our land and enriched the history of the United States.

In a joint resolution approved September 2, 1964 (78 Stat. 849, 36 U.S.C. 169c), the Congress authorized the President to proclaim October 9 in each year as Leif Erikson Day.

Now, Therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Thursday, October 9, 1975, as Leif Erikson Day, and I call upon appropriate Government officials to display the flag of the United States on Government buildings that day.

I also call upon the people of the United States to hold appropriate ceremonies in honor of the memory of Leif Erikson on that day, and to take this opportunity to renew their knowledge of the early history of our continent.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundredth.

GERALD R. FORD