Law Day 2025

PRE-NOTE: Sunday we had occasion to see an excellent comedy at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, “The Nacirema Society”.  It is worth your time.  It runs through May 24.  Details at the Guthrie website.  More description from the program booklet here: Nacirema Society.

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Five years ago – mid-March, 2020 –  was the official acknowledgement of the Covid-19 pandemic in Minnesota.  We all have our memories.   Two months later, May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed in front of a store at 38^th and Chicago in Minneapolis.   This too a day in infamy.

In between, May 1, 2020, was the 59^th observance of Law Day in the U.S.  The Law Day observance comes to mind as assaults on the U.S. 250-year tradition of Rule of Law.  As a white non-lawyer, I want to share some observations that might help stimulate conversation and reflection in these times.

Law Day was first proclaimed by President Eisenhower in 1958, and Congress established the official date as May 1 in 1961.  The day was first proposed by the American Bar Association in 1957.

Since at least 1964, Law Day was a visible presence in Minnesota with ofttimes major observances.   I came to know Law Day in Minnesota.  My personal mentors were Minneapolis businessman Lynn Elling and University of Minnesota emeritus professor Dr. Joseph Schwartzberg, and personal long-time friendship with Jim Nelson, Minneapolis, an activist since 1964. Lynn and Joe are long deceased.  Jim has extensive personal history with Law Day and I asked him for his personal memories of the day in Minneapolis.  He responded:

“The first Law Day program was in 1964.The speaker was General JH Rothschild head of UN peacekeeping and [Oscar Knutson], chief Justice of the Mn Supreme Court. 

The 1966 speaker was Governor Luther Youngdahl.

There were 600 people who attended the 1967 dinner. International press correspondent David Schoenbaum was the speaker.  

I was present when the UN flag was raised in Minneapolis on May 1, 1968, [former MN Governor] Elmer Andersen was the speaker.  [The United Nations flag flew alongside the U.S. and Minnesota flags on the Hennepin County Government Center Plaza until removed by County Board action in March 2012 – 44 years later.  This initiative was an outgrowth of the work of Garry Davis’ World Citizenship initiative.] 

There were efforts to bring UN leaders to our Law Day program.   The 1973 program featured Bradford Morse, Undersecretary of the United Nations.

1974 program featured Elizabeth Mann Borgese, famous author spoke on the need for laws regarding the “global commons” well attended 800 people, public radio.

In 1977, [Delaware] Governor Russell Peterson [was speaker].

In 1982 the Law Day program featured Admiral Eugene Carrol who spoke on nuclear disarmament at Northrop Auditorium.    Mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul spoke as well as religious leaders and the University president. [It was a very impactful program with 1200- 1300 people. carried by Minnesota Public Radio.   Probably the best event I attended.

1983 Law Day program also at the U of M featured famous pediatrician Benjamin Spock and scientist Dr Charles Price.

1987 featured speaker Adam Yarmollinsky, disarmament expert.

In 1988 instead of a single Law Day dinner, WFA [World Federalist, now Citizens for Global Solutions] organized a day-long conference with multiple speakers including John Anderson head of World Federalists and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen.  

During the 1990’s Lynn Elling tried to keep the Law Day traditions alive by organizing events in the High Schools e.g. Washburn May 1, 1989, Bloomington Kennedy 1991 etc.

[These are some of the] events that I have attended and have some records.   Law Day observance was and is unique and powerful organizing principle, I wish we could keep it going.”

Different activities replaced Law Day as time went on.  The Nobel Peace Prize Forum at Augsburg College and four other Midwest Lutheran colleges was an ongoing program for many years.  In addition, Augsburg had an annual Nobel Peace Prize Festival for young people.

In 2013, Lynn Elling asked that the Law Day dinner tradition be continued, and the first revival featured David Brink, past president of the American Bar Association, as keynote speaker.

The tradition continued through 2019, every program at the Gandhi Mahal restaurant at 3009 27th Ave S in Minneapolis.  We had set up the program for 2020, when Covid-19 cancelled all such activities.   On the night of May 29, 2020, Gandhi Mahal, a single short block from the Third Precinct, was destroyed by fire, one of the many casualties that brutal week.

Gandhi Mahal restaurant May 30 2020

To this date, the restaurant site, as well as the surrounding businesses, is a vacant lot, providing its own lecture on the Rule of Law.

Gandhi Mahal site April 28, 2025 Former Mpls 3rd Police Precinct in center background.

Perhaps this Law Day and the days following can help be a springboard for renewed action on behalf of the Rule of Law, as envisioned by our founders.