Patriot Day is a relatively modern national day of observance in the United States, but it is not brand new. It was established by a proclamation from President George W. Bush on December 18, 2001, and signed into law as U.S. Code Title 36, Section 144. It is observed annually on September 11 to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 individuals who were killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
A key distinction is its status as a national day of observance, not a federal holiday. This means that schools, government offices, and private businesses are not required to close. The day is marked by specific protocols, including a directive for the American flag to be flown at half-staff at all U.S. homes, the White House, and on all government buildings and establishments, both at home and abroad. The President also requests that Americans observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
The term can cause confusion with "Patriots' Day," a different civic holiday celebrated in Massachusetts and Maine on the third Monday of April. This regional holiday commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. Therefore, while Patriot Day is a 21st-century addition to the national calendar, it has been an established day of remembrance for over two decades and is distinct in both its purpose and its official designation from other similarly named events.
