Why Was Arizona Admitted Into The Union Twice?

Arizona has been civilized for longer than Europeans knew a "New World" existed. For thousands of years, the territory here was home to thriving communities, and a civilization far more advanced than their European counterparts.

Arizona was finally admitted into the Union in the early 20th Century, on a holiday everyone seems to love, but it's not the date you were taught.

Arizona's FIRST Statehood Day

You were likely taught that Arizona was first admitted to the Union on February 14th, 1912, and that's exactly correct. On that date, the United States officially made Arizona the 48th state, but that would be unceremoniously retconned almost five decades later.

This is where things get confusing. In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote that Arizona was officially admitted as a state on December 24th, 1911, about 2 months prior to the officially recognized statehood day. This, in turn, relegated December 24th to a National Holiday, recognizing Arizona's statehood, effectively making Arizona the only state to have two separate statehood days.

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Why Re-Set Statehood Day?

This may seem a little odd, and it's because it is! The date the Eisenhower set in stone as Statehood Day, does have significance to Arizona's entrance to the Union, but not because they were admitted. In fact, it's the exact opposite!

It stands for the day Arizona was rejected as a state by President William Howard Taft, who stated that their constitution allowing for the recalling of judges was anti-American, and denied their statehood. Obviously, they went on to change the constitution, and soon Arizona was officially admitted as a United State.

While the state tends to forget December 24th, as Christmas rolls around, remember the greatest gift Eisenhower gave to us, our (technical) freedom.

[Library of Congress][TFD Supplies]