ExecutiveOrdersEO
Proc 8654ProclamationObama · DCeremonial

Proclamation 8654

Civil War Sesquicentennial

President Obama proclaimed April 12, 2011, as the first day of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, calling on Americans to observe the 150th anniversary with programs and ceremonies honoring the war's legacy of freedom and unity. The proclamation recounts the conflict's history, its human cost, and the constitutional amendments that followed, without imposing any binding policy or regulatory requirements.

Federal Register Open PDF 76 FR 21223

Impact dates

  1. Proclamation effective; first day of Civil War Sesquicentennial

Key directives

  • Proclaim April 12, 2011, as the first day of the Civil War Sesquicentennial
  • Call upon all Americans to observe this Sesquicentennial with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities

Timeline

Immediate

  • Proclamation takes effect on signing date (April 12, 2011)
  • April 12, 2011 designated as first day of Civil War Sesquicentennial

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

—

Risks & tensions

  • Proclamation contains hortatory language ('I call upon') with no enforcement mechanism or funding
  • Text is vague on what constitutes 'appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities'
Proclamation 8654: Civil War Sesquicentennial · Executive Orders