Kansas Day is a holiday observed on 29 January each year.
This holiday is meant to celebrate Kansas’s entrance into the USA in 1861. For the first time in Paola, Kansas, Kansas Day was celebrated by about 20 children in 1877. These students were starting to read about the battle of New Orleans in American history. The children were deeply involved in this and felt very patriotic about their state. The afternoon on 29 January 1877 was set aside so that the course could spend the day exploring Kansas, from history to geography and nature. Alexander Le Grande Copley was the then teacher, and when he became the superintendent of schools in Wichita, Kansas, he made it a celebration of this holiday. The news of Kansas Day gradually spread to the entire state, where both students and their families came together to celebrate.
Kansas Sites:
Kansas Explorers Club
Kansas Day in the Classroom
Famous Kansans
Kansas Days
Kansas Day Activities
Kansas State Parks
Travel Kansas
Kansas Day Lapbook for Kids
As the nation grew, generations of travelers arrived in Kansas. Both roads in Kansas appeared to point westward, be it from Discover’s Corps in 1804 to the Pony Express.
Railways provided the territory with accelerated settlements and controversial judgments on the people’s statehood. Will Kansas have freedom or slavery? The debates were too fierce that before the Union joined as the 34th state, the territory was called “Bleeding Kansas.”
Ranching, dairy, and agriculture improved with the railways. Kansas Farmlands lush, rich soil made the state the world’s breadbasket. The author, L. Frank Baum, of the famous book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, described a young girl named Dorothy and her adventure in a place called Oz. The book stormed the globe, especially when Hollywood cast Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Margaret Hamilton. After all, there was no such place as home, no such place as Kansas.
There’s a place called Topeka in Kansas, where one of the most important rulings in civil rights history took place. Brown’s appeal against the School Board was appealed to the United States Supreme Court in 1954. It finally came to a final decision that started with parents and teachers’ associations at all-black schools and neighborhood groups worldwide. The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was violated by the doctrine named “Separate but Equal.”
How Can We Observe Kansas Day?
Although this day is an observance that is limited to the state, it is not a federal holiday, which means that on this day most government offices, hospitals, banks, and corporations are open as usual. That doesn’t mean that the holiday has no value as this holiday is observed by many people. People in Kansas visit historic sites and museums across the state to learn about Kansas' history. People are invited to read more about the state’s past. Students typically spend the day studying Kansas history or attending activities related to Kansas in classrooms. Kansas Day programs revolve around historic landmarks, schools, and the Kansas State Capitol. Students are encouraged to learn the state’s history and vote in favor of their favorite popular Kansan.
Interesting Facts on National Kansas Day:
Some of the Interesting facts About Kansas and Kansas Day,
On 29 January 1861, Kansas became a part of the Union.
Kansas has America’s most windy city, Dodge City.
Cawker City has a 16,760-pound ball of twine.
The first Black woman to receive the Academy Award was Kansan Hattie McDaniel.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States, was from Abilene, Kansas.
At one point in time, ice cream served on cherry pie was illegal in Kansas.
Kansas has the highest population in North America of prairie chickens.
The Sunflower State is another name for Kansas.
The Free State & the Wheat State are some other nicknames.
Hunting whales in Kansas is illegal.
This state has witnessed the second most tornadoes in the United States.
In 1905, Helium was found at Kansas University.
The state has over 528 caves.
Agriculture is 88% of land in Kansas.
For more than 130 years, Kansas Day has continued to expand.
Teachers and students in the state continue to observe this day.