Monday March 16 (James Madison’s birthday) marks the celebration of Freedom of Information Day in the United States. The day was designated in a 1986 Congressional resolution signed by President Ronald Reagan. Freedom of Information Day is now part of the related celebration of “Sunshine Week.” According to sunshineweek.org:
Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know. Sunshine Week is led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and is funded primarily by a challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami. Though spearheaded by journalists, Sunshine Week is about the public’s right to know what its government is doing, and why. Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.
Additional information about Sunshine Week and Freedom of Information Day is available from the First Amendment Center.