I l love sharing Holidays with my readers as well as my friends and family which can also be used as a Homeschool Resource: and one of the #Holidays is National Checkers Day #NationalCheckersDay. For a Lesson Plan on checkers go here: because National Checker Day isn’t actually about the Checkers Game but a speech by Richard M. Nixon. which is a lesson in History so National Checkers Day is still a fun #Homeschool Resource.
National Checkers Day is on September 23rd, also known as “Dogs in Politics Day,” and commemorates political Canines or candidate Pooches, First Fidos, or Revolution Rovers. Checkers Day has nothing to do with the popular board game; rather, it celebrates Richard M. Nixon’s famous ‘checkers’ speech on this very date in 1952.
On September 23, 1952, Vice President candidate Richard Nixon delivered the “Checkers Speech. ” Nixon needed to defend himself after being accused of improprieties involving a fund set up by his supporters to compensate him for campaign costs. His position on the Republican ticket was also at risk, so he traveled to Los Angeles and gave a half-hour television address.
During his address, Nixon emphasized that no matter what anyone thought, he planned to keep one gift. The gift was a black-and-white dog christened “Checkers” by the Nixon children, thus giving the speech its famous name.
Did you know the “Checkers Speech” was viewed or heard by about 60 million Americans, the greatest television viewership at the time, and the Checkers Speach sparked an outpouring of popular support. Almost every President in history has had a Dog as a member of the First Family. It’s no surprise considering Americans’ affection for dogs and the fact that dogs can calm almost any crisis which is necessary for the most powerful position in the world.
How To Celebrate National Checkers Day
- According to the American Kennel Club, our first president was an enthusiastic Fox hunter who desired a superior Dog that was fast, clever, and had a great sense of smell, so he crossed his Black and Tan Coonhounds with French Hounds to produce the American Foxhound.
- According to the Presidential Pet Museum, Roosevelt loved his Pet, characterizing him as “ridiculously devoted,” and frequently made excuses for Pete’s conduct.
- Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t the only Roosevelt with a soft spot for Puppies, Franklin D. Roosevelt owned eight Dogs while serving as president!
- According to WhiteHouseHistory.org, Rob Roy, popularly named after a popular Cocktail during Prohibitions, was the first Dog to be a part of an official First Family photo portrait and accompanied First Lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge in her official White House photo.
- Did you know Millie, an English Springer Spaniel owned by Barbara and George H. W. Bush has been dubbed “the most famous White House dog in history.”
Why People Love National Checkers Day
- Dogs have had an important role in molding American history and politics, particularly during Wartime when Dogs played an important role in almost every battle in which America has been involved.
- Dogs are kind, caring, and sympathetic; they forgive and never carry grudges. A Dog is always present in the moment, no matter what they are doing. If you observe your Dog throughout the day, you will see that your Dog is a better person than most humans.
- Every dog at the White House receives a lot of attention, much like their owners and other celebrities and the presence of a Dog helps the First Family and “the most powerful person in the world” appear more normal, accessible, and sympathetic.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
