"Free people can assure the blessing of liberty for themselves only if they recognize that the rule of law shall be supreme and that all men shall be equal before the law," said President Eisenhower in speaking of the importance of Law Day.

In the United States, Eisenhower stood up for the rule of law during the school integration crisis in Little Rock, Ark., in September 1957, sending in federal troops to ensure that the law of the land equally served all Americans.

Because he appreciated the relationship between the rule of law and a free society, in 1958 President Eisenhower designated May 1 as a day dedicated to the principle of government under law, and Congress formally recognized that day as the official date for observing Law Day three years later.

Since the establishment of Law Day, the observance has provided the opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate a society where the goal of government continues to be fair laws applied with equity.

Today, challenges to the ideal of equal justice under law persist at home and abroad.We still have a way to encourage rule of law around the world.

It is fitting that on the 50th anniversary of the first Law Day - a day President Eisenhower called "a day of national dedication to the principle of government under law" - that we celebrate this milestone with the theme "The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity."

As members of the _____________ Bar Association, we know that lawyers do not have a monopoly on the rule of law. The rule of law exists to serve all citizens in communities throughout the United States and beyond. The rule of law is our heritage and our promise to the people around the world. The goal of Law Day remains a commitment to justice.

Read President Eisenhower's 1958 Proclamation establishing Law Day.

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© 2007 American Bar Association