--- title: National Day of Prayer: Read President Obama's Declaration description: President Obama called for "freedom to all people" in a letter accompanying his declaration of May 5 as the annual National Day of Prayer canonical: https://time.com/4319501/obama-national-day-of-prayer/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-05-05T15:00:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T17:18:46.800Z article:section: Politics og:title: National Day of Prayer: Read President Obama's Declaration og:description: President Obama called for "freedom to all people" in a letter accompanying his declaration of May 5 as the annual National Day of Prayer og:url: https://time.com/4319501/obama-national-day-of-prayer/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt02a5771dd84f4eea/69889205bc6cfcf6b03dcdd2/barack-obama-national-prayer-day-proclamation.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: barack obama national prayer day proclamation og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: National Day of Prayer: Read President Obama's Declaration twitter:description: President Obama called for "freedom to all people" in a letter accompanying his declaration of May 5 as the annual National Day of Prayer twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt02a5771dd84f4eea/69889205bc6cfcf6b03dcdd2/barack-obama-national-prayer-day-proclamation.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Read President Obama's Declaration of a National Day of Prayer  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent May 5, 2016 3:00 PM UTC  President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 22nd annual Awards Gala at the Washington Hilton May 4, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 22nd annual Awards Gala at the Washington Hilton May 4, 2016 in Washington, DC.Kevin Dietsch/Pool—Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent May 5, 2016 3:00 PM UTC President Obama called for “freedom to all people” in a [letter](https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/04/presidential-proclamation-national-day-prayer-2016) accompanying his declaration of May 5 as the annual National Day of Prayer. “Our country was founded on the idea of religious freedom,” Obama wrote in his letter. “On National Day of Prayer, we rededicate ourselves to extending this freedom to all people.” The U.S. has held a National Day of Prayer since Harry Truman signed a law in 1952 designating the first Thursday in May for that purpose. 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