About Inventors Day
Inventors Day has been officially celebrated in the U.S. since 1983. President Reagan chose February 11th as the date of the holiday as it is the birthday of Thomas Edison, one of the most prolific inventors the world has ever seen.
- Did you know? Up to 50% of major scientific breakthroughs occur as a result of accidents or coincidences.
From The American Presidency Project, Proclamation 5013—National Inventors' Day, 1983:
“Almost two hundred years ago, President George Washington recognized that invention and innovation were fundamental to the welfare and strength of the United States. He successfully urged the First Congress to enact a patent statute as expressly authorized by the U.S. Constitution and wisely advised that ‘there is nothing which can better deserve your patronage than the promotion of science . . .’ In 1790, the first patent statute initiated the transformation of the United States from an importer of technology to a world leader in technological innovation.
National Inventors’ Day>br /> “Today, just as in George Washington's day, inventors are the keystone of the technological progress that is so vital to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of this country. Individual ingenuity and perseverance, spurred by the incentives of the patent system, begin the process that results in improved standards of living, increased public and private productivity, creation of new industries, improved public services, and enhanced competitiveness of American products in world markets.
“In recognition of the enormous contribution inventors make to the nation and the world, the Congress, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 140 (Public Law 97-198), has designated February 11, 1983, the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Alva Edison, one of America's most famous and prolific inventors, as National Inventors' Day.”
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