Read Across America Day, 2016

Proclamation 9403 of March 1, 2016

Read Across America Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

From a child's first foray into the depths of a story
to an adult's escape into a world of words, reading
plays an integral role in our lives. Works of fiction
and non-fiction alike pique interest and inspiration
and shape our understanding of each other and
ourselves, teaching us lessons in kindness and
humility, responsibility and respect. The moment we
persuade a child to pick up a book for the first time
we change their lives forever for the better, and on
Read Across America Day, we recommit to getting
literary works into our young peoples' hands early and
often.

March 2 is also the birthday of one of America's
revered wordsmiths. Theodor Seuss Geisel--or Dr.
Seuss--used his incredible talent to instill in his
most impressionable readers universal values we all
hold dear. Through a prolific collection of stories, he
made children see that reading is fun, and in the
process, he emphasized respect for all; pushed us to
accept ourselves for who we are; challenged
preconceived notions and encouraged trying new things;
and by example, taught us that we are limited by
nothing but the range of our aspirations and the
vibrancy of our imaginations. And for older lovers of
literature, he reminded us not to take ourselves too
seriously, creating wacky and wild characters and
envisioning creative and colorful places.

Books reveal unexplored universes and stimulate
curiosity, and in underserved communities, they play a
particularly important role in prompting inquisition
and encouraging ambition. Last month, the First Lady
announced the launch of Open eBooks, a new project that
will unlock a world of learning and possibility for
millions of American children and provide over $250
million worth of reading material to students who need
it most. As we work to get every child engrossed in
literature, we honor the many people who devote their
lives and careers to carrying forward this important
cause--including our librarians, educators, and
parents. We can all get lost in a good read, and we owe
it to rising learners to give them the chance to
experience that same enjoyment and fulfillment.

Today, and every day, let us celebrate the power of
reading by promoting literacy and supporting new
opportunities for students to plunge into the pages of
a book. As Dr. Seuss noted, ``The more that you read,
the more things you will know. The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go.'' Together, we can help all
children go plenty of places along their unending
journey for knowledge and ensure everyone can find joy
and satisfaction in the wonders of the written word.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim March 2, 2016, as
Read Across America Day. I call upon children,
families, educators, librarians, public officials, and
all the people of the United States to observe this day
with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of March, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.