Amata Requests Presidential Proclamation to Honor American Samoa Flag Day
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata has requested that President Biden recognize and highlight American Samoa’s Flag Day with a Presidential Proclamation. The request is part of a bipartisan letter to the President this week signed by each of the five representatives of the territories, and it asks the President to honor each territory on one special day yearly.
“This would be a helpful and educational way to raise the profile of the territories throughout the United States,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I am very optimistic that President Biden will approve of this idea. It is an effective, practical, and non-costly way to honor and empower each of our beautiful island territories nationally one day a year, and tell some of our stories to Americans everywhere.”
This historic photo shows the flag-raising in American Samoa in 1900, now an official holiday.
The letter states, “To celebrate our cultures, we ask that you consider the following local holidays as dates to be recognized by Presidential Proclamation: March 2nd, American Citizenship Day (Puerto Rico); March 24th, Covenant Day (Northern Mariana Islands); April 17th, Flag Day (American Samoa); July 3rd, Emancipation Day, (U.S. Virgin Islands); and July 21st, Liberation Day (Guam).”
The letter was led by Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (CNMI) with Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen (American Samoa), Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón (Puerto Rico), Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (US Virgin Islands), and Congressman Michael San Nicolas (Guam).
The letter concludes, “Each of these dates are significant to our respective territories, but they also mark moments of American history. Our cultures and histories are woven into the story of America, yet this truth is often overlooked. It is our hope that in the light of greater public awareness our constituents will be empowered to fight for racial equity. We hope you will join us in celebrating our cultures and help bring a deeper, richer understanding of American history into public view.”
American Samoa’s Flag Day is every April 17th, marking the day in 1900 that the U.S. flag was officially raised on Sogelau Hill in Fagatogo, Tutuila Island. The flag was raised in Manu’a four years later. In celebration of April 17th, American Samoa’s own flag of the territory was also first officially adopted and raised on April 17, 1960. American Samoa included Samoan heritage and ties to the United States in the choice of its design and colors for the Territory’s flag.
Congresswoman Amata and Congressman Sablan (file photo)
In October, the same five representatives introduced and cosponsored a bipartisan House Resolution that calls for a “U.S. Territories Day” to assist educators throughout the United States in teaching about the territories. The focus of that effort includes the creation of educational materials by the Smithsonian Institution to help teachers lead interesting classroom discussions or projects for students, improving knowledge of the territories among the youth of the United States.
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