Do Americans celebrate Leif Erikson Day?

Do Americans celebrate Leif Erikson Day?

To honor Leif Erikson, son of Iceland and grandson of Norway, and to celebrate our Nordic-American heritage, the Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88-566) approved on September 2, 1964, has authorized the President of the United States to proclaim October 9th of each year as “Leif Erikson Day.”

What countries celebrate Leif Erikson Day?

The National Leif Erikson day, which takes place on October 9, is an annual celebration that is observed in Canada, United States, and the Nordic Council nations. This day is celebrated as an honor to Leif Erikson, an explorer who led the first European voyage into North America.

When is Leif Erikson Day in the United States?

October 9 is Leif Erikson Day, a United States holiday that honors the Icelandic explorer who some believe was the first European to reach North America.

Why was Leif Eriksson known as Leif the Lucky?

Eriksson was welcomed home as a hero. He then earned the nickname “Leif the Lucky.” Leif Eriksson never returned to the lands of North America but his brother Thorvald did. Eriksson spent the remainder of his life in Greenland where he spread Christianity to the people.

When did Leif Eriksson sail to North America?

After spending the winter in Vinland, Leif sailed back to Greenland, and never returned to North American shores. He is generally believed to be the first European to reach the North American continent, nearly four centuries years before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492.

Where did Leif Erikson go when he became a Christian?

Around A.D. 1000, Erikson sailed to Norway, where King Olaf I converted him to Christianity. According to one school of thought, Erikson sailed off course on his way back to Greenland and landed on the North American continent, where he explored a region he called Vinland.