West Virginia Day
West Virginia Day is a state holiday in the US state of West Virginia. Celebrated annually on June 20, the day celebrates the state's 1863 admission to the Union as a result of the secession of several northwestern counties of Virginia during the American Civil War.[1]
| West Virginia Day | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | West Virginia |
| Date | June 20 |
| Next time | June 20, 2021 |
| Frequency | annual |
History
During the Civil War, the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond chose to join the Confederate States of America, much to the chagrin of most of the inhabitants in the trans-Allegheny region of the state who had long expressed their resentment toward the political elites in Richmond. Loyal unionists gradually pushed for the creation of a new state. After two years of legal maneuvering, West Virginia was formally admitted to the United States of America on June 20, 1863.
June 20 had been informally celebrated across West Virginia over the next six decades until the West Virginia Legislature gave the holiday formal recognition in 1927.[2] The day has traditionally been celebrated with festivities at the state capitol complex in Charleston and at other locations across the state.
References
- Remarks by U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, Happy Birthday, West Virginia!, June 20, 2003
- Official State of WV website
