Day of Celebration in Honor of the Life of Henry Clay, 2026

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 20575-20576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07524]



[[Page 20573]]

Vol. 91

Thursday,

No. 73

April 16, 2026

Part II





The President





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Proclamation 11022--Day of Celebration in Honor of the Life of Henry 
Clay, 2026


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 91 , No. 73 / Thursday, April 16, 2026 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 20575]]

                Proclamation 11022 of April 10, 2026

                
Day of Celebration in Honor of the Life of Henry 
                Clay, 2026

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On what would have been his 249th birthday, we honor 
                the life and enduring legacy of Henry Clay--a true 
                American original, whose incredible vision and lifetime 
                of devoted service to our Republic helped forge the 
                very Union we cherish so deeply.

                Born in the midst of the Revolutionary War on April 12, 
                1777, Clay rose from humble beginnings in Virginia to 
                stand among the most consequential statesmen this 
                country has ever produced. He represented the 
                Commonwealth of Kentucky in the United States Congress, 
                where he became the driving force behind what became 
                known as the American System, championing strong 
                protective tariffs to defend and develop domestic 
                industry, a sound national financial structure to 
                support growth and commerce, and Federal investment in 
                roads, canals, and other internal improvements to bind 
                the Nation together. The American System served as a 
                practical blueprint for national strength, national 
                unity, and national self-reliance.

                Henry Clay understood that our Nation's political 
                independence must rest on a firm foundation of economic 
                independence. He knew that sovereignty is never merely 
                political. It is industrial. It is financial. It is 
                commercial. He understood that when a Nation can no 
                longer make what it needs, move what it makes, or 
                defend the workers who sustain it, that Nation risks 
                losing not only prosperity, but independence itself.

                Throughout his time in public office, he never wavered 
                in his fight for America's economic independence during 
                the most formative years of our country. Clay would go 
                on to wield the gavel as Speaker of the House and serve 
                with distinction in the Senate, and in 1825, he assumed 
                the office of Secretary of State under President John 
                Quincy Adams. Throughout his career, he was nominated 
                for President three times--shaping the national debate 
                with each campaign and contributing significantly to 
                the advancement of American greatness.

                As we commemorate 250 glorious years of American 
                independence, it is especially fitting that we honor a 
                statesman whose legacy is one of strength, vision, 
                patriotism, and an unshakable belief in the greatness 
                of the American Republic. Our country is strengthened 
                by the memory of great statesmen who, like Henry Clay, 
                devoted their lives to public service and led our 
                people through times of both hardship and triumph.

                In honor of this American titan, and to celebrate his 
                pivotal role in the story of our Nation, I am proud to 
                direct the White House Office of Administration to 
                redesignate Room 208 of the Eisenhower Executive Office 
                Building, the historic office of the Secretary of 
                State, as the Henry Clay Room.

                As we remember the life and contributions of Henry 
                Clay, we carry forward his unshakable belief in the 
                promise of America and honor the timeless example of a 
                patriot who always placed country above self. May his 
                memory always inspire each new generation of Americans 
                to greatness, and may the Union he worked so mightily 
                to preserve stand tall, united, and strong for 
                centuries to come.

[[Page 20576]]

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 April 12, 2026, as a 
                day of celebration in honor of the life of Henry Clay.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2026-07524
Filed 4-15-26; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P