National Repeal Day is a holiday that celebrates one of the happiest days in modern Western civilization. It celebrates the repeal of Prohibition. For anyone who doesn’t already know, Prohibition began when the 18th Amendment was ratified in 1919, making the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages illegal.

It would officially go into effect in 1920, forcing businesses all across the U.S that sold or manufactured alcohol to close. Fortunately, Prohibition would end on December 5th, 1933, and alcohol was once again legal. This is the holiday that celebrates that momentous occasion and is also a day when a lot of people decided to get their drink on.

The History Of National Repeal Day

Thanks to religious revivalism of the 1820s and 1830, the Temperance Movement began. This movement just didn’t preach temperance, it also preached abolitionism and members of it began to push for the abolition of alcohol all across the U.S.

As a result, the 18th Amendment passed in both chambers of the U.S Congress in December 1917. It was then ratified by three-fourths of the states in January 1919.

The 18th Amendment wasn’t enforced with much success and an entire illegal economy grew that included stilling operations, speakeasies, and bootleggers. This led to an increase in American organized crime which gained in strength during Prohibition and would continue long after Prohibition ended on December 5th, 1933.

This immediately resulted in repeal celebrations all across the U.S. It’s been celebrated as a holiday ever since then and probably will continue to be observed into the foreseeable future.

Some Quick & Dirty Facts About Prohibition

You can’t even discuss National Repeal Day without talking about Prohibition and its effects on American society. That’s why we’ve decided to list some of the facts that we’ve learned about it during our research for this day. We hope the following facts will prove quite educational to everyone who reads them.

• The 18th Amendment is the only amendment to the Constitution to have ever been repealed.
• Racial discrimination and anti-immigration were some of the reasons why Prohibition was sought by so many people.
• U.S President Woodrow Wilson had to get an exemption from Congress to move his wine cellar from the White House to his new home.

Observing National Repeal Day

Since this is National Repeal Day, it’s the perfect time for people to try out some new alcoholic beverages. As long as they are legally able to drink and do so in moderation. People should also help spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalRepealDay online.