General Pulaski Memorial Day 2024 is on Friday, October 11, 2024: why do we celebrate Casmir pulaski day?

Friday, October 11, 2024 is General Pulaski Memorial Day 2024. General Pulaski Memorial Day is a United States holiday in honor of General Kazimierz Pułaski (spelled Casimir Pulaski in English), a Polish hero of the American Revolution.

General Pulaski Memorial Day is a United States holiday in honor of General Kazimierz Pułaski (spelled Casimir Pulaski in English), a Polish hero of the American Revolution.

Casimir Pulaski Day is a holiday observed in Illinois on the first Monday of every March to commemorate Casimir Pulaski, a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born March 4, 1747 in Poland as Kazimierz Pułaski. He is known for his contributions to the U.S. military in the American Revolution by training its soldiers and cavalry.

The day is celebrated mainly in areas that have large Polish populations. Chicago has the largest Polish population of any city in the world, save for Warsaw. This is a separate holiday from the federal holiday, General Pulaski Memorial Day, which commemorates Pulaski's death at the Siege of Savannah on October 11, 1779.

Illinois enacted a law on June 20, 1977 to celebrate the birthday of Casimir Pulaski and held the first official Pulaski Day celebrations in 1978. The bill was introduced by Senator Leroy W. Lemke, a Democrat from Chicago. Chicago celebrates Pulaski Day on the first Monday in March with an annual parade. Cook County government (which includes Chicago) and the Chicago Public Library also close on this holiday.

who is Kasmir Pulaski and why do we celebrate a day off in honor of him?

Kazimierz Pułaski (in the USA referred to as Casimir Pulaski) (March 4/6, 1745 – October 11/15, 1779), born near Warsaw (Winiary-Warka area), Poland, was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic) of Ślepowron Coat of Arms, soldier and military commander who fought against the Russian (tsarist) Empire in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. From 1768 to 1772, he took part in a confederation against the Russians called the Confederation of Bar (Konfederacja barska).

Kazimierz Pułaski monument at Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC.From 1777 to his death, he fought for independence of the United States in the American Revolution under the command of George Washington. Pulaski was a noted cavalryman and played a large role in training Revolutionary troops, creating Pulaski's Legion, one of the few cavalry regiments in the contemporary US army. He took part in the Siege of Charleston (Charleston, South Carolina) and siege of Savannah (Savannah, Georgia).

On October 9, 1779, during a cavalry charge, while probing for a weak point in the British lines at the battle of Savannah, Pulaski was mortally wounded by a grapeshot. He was carried from the field of battle by several comrades, including Colonel John C. Cooper. He was wounded in the groin and was taken aboard the privateer merchant brigantine Wasp. Two days later, on October 11, 1779, he died of wounds without regaining consciousness.

According to several contemporary witnesses, including his aide-de-camp, he was buried at sea, however a long standing rumor persists that the wounded Pulaski was actually taken to Greenwich plantation near Savannah where he later died and was buried. An eight year long examination of the remains buried at the plantation ended in 2004 having failed to reach a definitive conclusion.

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Tribute

Perhaps one of the first tributes was paid by George Washington, who on 17 November 1779 issued an order to identify friends and foes when crossing military lines: "Query: Pulaski, Response: Poland." Fort Pulaski National Monument of the American Civil War is named so in honor of Kazimierz Pulaski.

The state of Kentucky has by law recognized General Pulaski's Day since before 1942. The State of Illinois has celebrated Casimir Pulaski Day on the first Monday of March since 1977, no doubt due to the large Polish population of the city of Chicago; Pulaski Road, one of the city's major arteries, is named after him. The first official celebration of Pulaski Day was in 1978. Likewise, Grand Rapids, MI hosts a "Pulaski Days" celebration over three days during the first full weekend of October, which includes among other things a flag-raising ceremony at the General Pulaski monument. You can view pictures taken during the celebration at "PulaskiDays.com" A bridge on Interstate 65 over the Kankakee River in Indiana is named after him. American singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens titled a song "Casimir Pulaski Day" on his album, "Illinois," in which the singer's love dies of cancer on Casimir Pulaski Day.

The Pulaski Skyway in northern New Jersey and the Pulaski Bridge in New York City are dedicated to him. By Presidential Proclamation, every October 11 is "General Pulaski Memorial Day", dedicated to Pulaski's memory and the heritage of Polish-Americans. A US Navy submarine, USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633), was named after him.

There are counties named after Pulaski in various states including Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia as well as a village in Wisconsin.

Okay a little trivia for all of ya, this should be quite easy. ♥?

Casimir Pulaski Day is a regional United States holiday celebrated on the first Monday of every March to commemorate Casimir Pulaski, a Revolutionary War cavalry officer born March 4, 1747. It is celebrated mainly in areas which have large Polish populations.

Illinois enacted a law on June 20, 1977 to celebrate the birthday of Casimir Pulaski and held the first official Pulaski Day celebrations in 1978. Chicago celebrates Pulaski Day with an annual parade, and many Illinois school children are given the day off. However, as the percentage of Polish Americans in Illinois drops and as fewer Polish Americans are elected to office, more and more schools in the state are opting out of observing the holiday. The holiday is also a special observance day in Wisconsin public schools, celebrated March 4th, as outlined in state statute 118.02. While not a state holiday, Indiana also marks the day as a commemorative day by governor's proclamation (IC 1-1-12.5).

Michigan-born songwriter Sufjan Stevens titled a song "Casimir Pulaski Day" on his album Illinois (or alternately, Illinoise ). The song is not specifically about the celebration but about a personal event that took place "in the morning, in the winter shade, on the first of March, on the holiday." Chicago-based rock band Big Black had a 1985 song titled "Kasimir S. Pulaski Day".

The United States created the federal General Pulaski Memorial Day in 1937, which commemorates Pulaski's death at the Siege of Savannah on October 11, 1779. The New York City Pulaski Day Parade and Pulaski Days in Grand Rapids, Michigan use this date.