The Origins of New York's Tartan Day
From its humble beginnings in 1998 when 2 pipe bands and a ragtag but spirited group of Scottish Americans, including Cliff Robertson, walked from the British Consulate to the United Nations, the parade has evolved to include many bands and participants.
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Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band, Scotland, marching past the Statue of Robert Burns in Central Park - 2001 |
In 2002, as part of the Tartan Day celebrations a Scottish based massed pipe band events company - Pipefest - brought the parade to 6th Avenue for the first time. This parade attracted a record number of pipe bands from all over the World and was led by Sir Sean Connery and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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Mayor Michael Bloomberg welcomes Parade Grand Marshall, Sir Sean Connery to the Tartan Day Parade - 2002 |
The New York Tartan Day Committee was founded by three New York based Scottish organisations. Since 2002 the Committee has grown to include members from Clan Campbell, The Tartan Army and representatives from NYPD pipe band. The NYTDC is charged with maintaining and perpetuating the New York Tartan Day Parade and organizing the events that complement it.
Past
Parade Grand Marshals
1998 - Cliff Robertson - Actor
2002 - Sir Sean Connery - Actor
2005 - Randall Wallace - Author of Braveheart
2006 - Brigadier Melville Jameson - Director
of The International Edinburgh Military Tattoo
2007 - George Reid, Presiding Officer of the Scottish
Parliament
2008 - Lawrence Tynes, kicker for the New York Giants, National Football League (NFL)
Numerous groups and societies throughout Canada and America have taken the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath (1320) as their national date to celebrate their Scottish roots.
On December 19th 1991, in response to action initiated by the Clans & Scottish Societies of Canada, the Ontario Legislature passed a resolution proclaiming April 6th as Tartan Day, following the example of other Canadian provinces. America followed suit on March 20th 1998, when Senate Resolution 155 (S.Res. 155), proposed by US Senate Republican majority leader Trent Lott, was passed unanimously.
The
National Tartan Day Resolution:
Whereas April 6 has a special
significance for all Americans, and especially
those Americans of Scottish descent, because the
Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration
of Independence, was signed on April 6, 1320 and
the American Declaration of Independence was modelled
on that inspirational document; Whereas this resolution
honors the major role that Scottish Americans
played in the founding of this Nation, such as
the fact that almost half of the signers of the
Declaration of independence were of Scottish descent,
the Governors in 9 of the original 13 States were
of Scottish ancestry, Scottish Americans successfully
helped shape this country in its formative years
and guide this Nation through its most troubled
times; Whereas this resolution recognizes the
monumental achievements and invaluable contributions
made by Scottish Americans that have led to America's
preeminence in the fields of science, technology,
medicine, government, politics, economics, architecture,
literature, media, and visual and performing arts;
Whereas this resolution commends the more than
200 organizations throughout the United States
that honor Scottish heritage, tradition, and culture,
representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans
of Scottish descent, residing in every State,
who already have made the observance of Tartan
Day on April 6 a success; Whereas these numerous
individuals, clans, societies, clubs, and fraternal
organizations do not let the great contributions
of the Scottish people go unnoticed: Now, therefore,
be it Resolved, That the Senate designates April
6 of each year as "National Tartan Day".
The New York National Tartan Day Committee
The National Tartan Day New York Committee is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York.
The Committee was created in 2002 in order to help organize New York City's Tartan Day Parade, help perpetuate Tartan Day and coordinate New York's Tartan Week activities. The Committee was founded by three New York based Scottish organizations: Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York, 1756, New York Caledonian Club, 1856, and American Scottish Foundation, 1956.
Two additional organizations, Clan Campbell Society and the New York Police Pipes and Drums were later additions to the Committee.
