Leif Erikson Day
| Leif Erikson Day | |
|---|---|
U.S. stamp issued on Leif Erikson Day, 1968
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| Observed by | United States |
| Type | Cultural |
| Significance | Recognize contributions of Americans of Nordic descent |
| Date | October 9 |
| Next time | October 9, 2017 |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Leif Erikson |
Leif Erikson Day is an annual American observance which occurs on October 9. It honors Leif Erikson (Icelandic: Leifur Eiríksson, Old Norse: Leifr Eiríksson, Norwegian: Leiv Eiriksson), the Norse explorer who led the first Europeans thought to have set foot in continental North America, except for Greenland.
The book America Not Discovered by Columbus by Rasmus B. Anderson was published in 1874, helping popularize the idea that Vikings were the first Europeans in the New World. During his appearance at the Norse-American Centennial in 1925, President Calvin Coolidge gave recognition to Leif Erikson as the discoverer of America due to research by Norwegian-American scholars such as Knut Gjerset and Ludvig Hektoen. In 1929, Wisconsin became the first U.S. state to officially adopt Leif Erikson Day as a state holiday, thanks in large part to efforts by Rasmus Anderson. A year later, the state of Minnesota followed suit. By 1956, Leif Erikson Day had been made an official observance in seven states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Colorado, Washington, and California) and one Canadian province (Saskatchewan). In 2012, the day was also made official in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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