Dear AU Supporter,

Today, Americans United is celebrating Religious Freedom Day! But how much do you know about this day and the basic human right it celebrates? 

Religious Freedom Day celebrates the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was the forerunner of the First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution. The Virginia Senate passed “A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom” on January 16, 1786, and it was signed into law three days later. 

But how much do you actually know about this important and influential law? Take our fun quiz to see how much you know about the origins of religious freedom and church-state separation in America.

In addition to Religious Freedom Day, today we also celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – a strong advocate for church-state separation as well as civil rights. To honor the legacy of both King and our country’s fundamental principle of religious freedom, I hope you’ll join me today in recommitting to protecting the separation of church and state – the shield that protects religious freedom and so many other rights and freedoms we care about.

Kind regards,

Andrew L. Seidel
VP of Strategic Communications