Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Presidential Documents 12527 

Proclamation 10155 of March 1, 2021 

Read Across America Day, 2021 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

I have always believed that America’s children are the kite strings that 

keep our national ambitions aloft—the more we do today to spark their 

curiosity, their confidence, and their imaginations, the stronger our country 

will be tomorrow. The key to developing young learners into engaged, active, 

and innovative thinkers is instilling in them a love of reading at an early 

age. Reading is the gateway to countless skills and possibilities—it sets 

children on the path to a lifetime of discovery. On this Read Across America 

Day, we celebrate the parents, educators, librarians, and other champions 

of reading who help launch our Nation’s children on that critical path. 

Once a passion for reading takes hold in a young person, the benefits 

extend far beyond the classroom. Reading broadens our perspective, introduces us to new worlds, cultures, and languages, and cultivates our sense 

of empathy and understanding of other people’s experiences and views. 

Reading informs us, empowers us, and teaches us the lessons of history. 

It helps us make sense of the world as it is—and inspires us to dream 

of what it could be. Studies also show that reading improves our memory, 

helps us become better problem solvers, and even reduces the chance of 

developing cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s down the road. And 

with the right book in hand, reading can nourish not only our minds, 

but our souls. 

The First Lady often observes that ‘‘any nation that out-educates us will 

out-compete us.’’ She is absolutely correct. Literacy is essential to finding 

a good-paying job, advancing in your career, and carving out your place 

in the middle class. Reading proficiency is what makes us a Nation of 

innovators and entrepreneurs—a Nation capable of building and growing 

a dynamic 21st century economy. Reading comprehension is also what allows 

us to discern fact from fiction—a critical skill at all times, and especially 

so in the midst of a global pandemic, when the health and safety of our 

loved ones could very well depend on determining the veracity of what 

we read. 

According to Department of Education estimates, more than half of United 

States adults (54 percent) between 16- and 74-years of age lack proficiency 

in literacy, reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. Illiteracy 

incurs a massive economic toll on our economy, and keeps not just individuals, but our entire Nation, from reaching our full potential. By every calculation, reading matters to our shared quality of life. 

For countless Americans, the path to literacy begins with story time in 

their school classroom. That is one of many reasons why my Administration 

is providing support to States and communities to help them create the 

conditions for students to return to safe, in-person learning as quickly as 

possible. We must ensure that all of our children receive the high-quality 

instruction and essential classroom time they need to learn and grow. It 

is a national imperative that we minimize the learning loss caused by 

the pandemic—and address the disproportionate impact that lost time imposes on our most vulnerable students and families. 


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12528 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Presidential Documents 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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, 2021, 

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 twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth. 

[FR Doc. 2021–04647 

Filed 3–3–21; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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