National Freedom of Information Day
The National Freedom of Information Coalition states that Sunshine Week coincides with National Freedom of Information Day on 16 March, James Madison’s birthday.
Date and recurrence
16 March annually
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule.
Scope and status
The verified scope stored for this record is U.S. open-government and freedom-of-information awareness observance associated with Sunshine Week. The site preserves that boundary and does not infer broader government, global or public-holiday status from the observance name alone.
Also known as
Freedom of Information Day
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Sources
- National Freedom of Information Coalition — Sunshine WeekOpen Government Organization
Frequently asked questions
When is National Freedom of Information Day?
16 March annually The stored recurrence guidance is: 16 March.
Does National Freedom of Information Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is National Freedom of Information Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: U.S. open-government and freedom-of-information awareness observance associated with Sunshine Week. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Freedom of Information Day?
The stored designation basis is: The National Freedom of Information Coalition states that Sunshine Week coincides with National Freedom of Information Day on 16 March, James Madison’s birthday.. Supporting provenance includes National Freedom of Information Coalition — Sunshine Week. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is National Freedom of Information Day international or country-specific?
This authority record is country-scoped to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: U.S. open-government and freedom-of-information awareness observance associated with Sunshine Week.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-07.
Other observances on March 16
These records also resolve to March 16, 2027 under the current authority data.
Black Press Day
NNPA Fund material places Black Press Week 2026 on 16–20 March around the anniversary of Freedom’s Journal, first published 16 March 1827; Howard University hosted Black Press Day 2026 on 1…
Lips Appreciation Day
The first-party Wellcat Holidays calendar lists Lips Appreciation Day on March 16.
National Artichoke Day
Days Of The Year and National Today place National Artichoke Day on March 16; other calendars separately use National Artichoke Hearts Day on the same date, so this record does not merge th…
National Panda Day
Smithsonian’s National Zoo explicitly identifies 16 March as National Panda Day in its giant-panda conservation and anniversary coverage.
National Vaccination Day (India)
Press Information Bureau, Government of India
St. Urho's Day
Finlandia Foundation National identifies St. Urho’s Day on 16 March and describes it within Finnish-American heritage programming.