America’s National Day of Prayer, now observed on the first Thursday in May, has roots stretching back to the nation’s founding. While not formally established until 1952, the practice of national days of prayer and thanksgiving existed even before the country’s independence. The First Continental Congress in 1775 called for a National Day of Prayer, and later Presidents like George Washington and John Adams also issued proclamations for days of prayer and thanksgiving. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a Congressional resolution in 1863 designating a day of fasting and prayer. President Harry S. Truman formally established the National Day of Prayer in 1952, designating it to coincide with the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. President Ronald Reagan amended the law in 1988 to designate the first Thursday in May as the official National Day of Prayer.
Today it is observed with suggested guidelines from a national task force. In many communities, there is a noon prayer service on the steps of the city hall. In some schools, students gather around the flagpole before classes begin. And often nearby churches will join together for an evening prayer service. In each of these, ideas are provided to have prayers led by local leaders (not just pastors) focusing consecutively on such topics as our president, congress, and supreme court, local schools, police and fire personnel, schools and school boards, families, members of our armed forces, as well as specific topics such as poverty and joblessness, political issues, judicial decisions, international relations, crime, and especially for the need for a widespread revival that would return our people and culture to biblical principles of true righteousness.