Alaskans celebrate Seward’s Day, an annual state holiday commemorating the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. Observed on the last Monday of March, the day honors William H. Seward, the US Secretary of State who negotiated the deal that transformed Alaska into an American district, which became a territory, and then finally a state.
On March 30, 1867, Seward finalized the purchase agreement with Russia for $7.2 million, a deal that was initially mocked as “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox” by critics who believed Alaska was a frozen wasteland of little value. However, the acquisition proved to be one of the most valuable land deals in US history, with Alaska later becoming a crucial economic and strategic asset.
“William Seward was mocked by the naysayers of his day for championing the purchase of Alaska, but he has been more than vindicated with time. Alaska contributes so much to America—through our people, our strategic location and our abundant natural resources. Happy Seward’s Day!,” wrote Sen. Dan Sullivan.
State government offices and some city offices close on this day. Those who work — public safety employees, for example — get double time.
In 2023, the Marxist-dominated Anchorage Assembly decided to remove Seward’s Day from the schedule of observed holidays. Ultimately, the Assembly didn’t remove it, but instead added Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day as paid holidays for city workers, giving them a total of 12 paid holidays in addition to their personal-vacation days.
You can always count on a Marxist (aka Progressive) to trade success for failure. Look at the once-successful city of Anchorage. It has been traded for failure under this Marxist regime. Hubris and moral superiority are lethal combinations to success. We can never be good enough, and certainly not smart enough to understand the complex nature of what it means to be a Progressive. All success can do is walk up to the altar, cut their own throat, and pray there is room left in Nirvana for them. There is no room in the inn for some.
Something many left leaning individuals fail to recognize is that Seward was friends with Lincoln and advocated for abolishing slavery. Second, if the US hadn’t bought Alaska, indigenous peoples would have suffered greatly under Soviet rule. Seward was a man of vision.
Seward actually pushed Lincoln on the slavery issue, Lincoln was willing to keep slavery to preserve the Union and Seward was the front runner for President before Lincoln was able to gather enough support for the Republican nomination. Seward was also targeted for assassination the same day Lincoln was killed by Booth, after a misfire by the assassin’s pistol he was stabbed numerous times in the face and neck.
Steve- O, Seward had many admirable qualities, however his decision to purchase Alaska was motivated by his intense Anglo- Phobe feelings.
Why does conservative Anchorage elect Marxist liberals to govern over their fair city? It’s not the Anchorage I remember. 🤔