U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day
| U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day | |
|---|---|
 Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell attending a flag raising with the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department in Washington, D.C., March 8, 2024. | |
| Observed by | United States |
| Type | National |
| Date | March 9 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 2024 |
| Related to | |
US Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day is an awareness holiday created in 2023 with the passage of the US Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day Act.[1][2] The holiday is observed on March 9th of every year.
Observance
[edit]The first US Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day was held on March 9, 2024 and marked with a flag raising ceremony on March 8, 2024 on the steps of the State Department headquarters in Washington D.C.[3] Under 36 U.S.C. §904, the flag of U.S. Hostages and Wrongful Detainees is to be flown at the United States Capitol, the White House, and any buildings were the US Secretary of State and US Secretary of Defense have offices.[1]
U.S. Hostages & Wrongful Detainee Flag
[edit]
In addition to the designation of the holiday, the U.S. Hostages and Wrongful Detainee Day Act also designates and federally recognizes a flag of US Hostages and Wrongful Detainees.[1][4] The flag was originally designed for the Bring Our Families Home campaign by University of Oregon professor David Ewald, in collaboration with family members of US hostages and wrongful detainees in the early 2020's.[5]
Under law, the U.S. Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag is to be displayed on U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and on any day on which a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States returns to the United States from being held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, or dies while being held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.[1] When displayed together, the U.S. Hostages and Wrongful Detainees Flag should fly below, and not be larger than, the United States flag. It is generally flown immediately below or adjacent to the United States flag as second in order of precedence.[6]
See also
[edit]- Wrongful detention
- Hostage diplomacy
- Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs
- Bring Our Families Home
- Disappearance of Robert Levinson
- James Foley (journalist)
Explanatory notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d S.769 - U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day Act of 2023 (Law). Washington DC: United States Congress. 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ Joseph R. Biden (2024-03-08). "Proclamation 10709 U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, 2024". Federal Register. Executive Office of the President. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ Hansler, Jennifer (2024-03-09). "Families remember their loved ones on first ever Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day". Washington DC: CNN. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ 36 U.S.C. § 904. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag (PDF) (United States Code). Washington DC: United States Congress. 2023. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ Fowler, Sophie (2024-03-18). "Ad students learn the power of advocacy advertising". School of Journalism and Communication. University of Oregon. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
- ^ Luckey, John R. (2008). The United States Flag--Federal Law Relating to Display and Associated Questions (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-07-02.