Republic Day, noun phrase

In historical contexts. The 31st of May, an annual public holiday commemorating the creation of the Republic of South Africa in 1961. Also attributive.
Note:
Formerly called Union Day (see Union sense 2 b). Scrapped as a public holiday from 1994.
c1965 State of S. Afr. 1965 107Public Holidays...Ascension Day, Republic Day (May 31), [etc.].
1979 Sunday Times 27 May 1No school under the Administration of Coloured Affairs will be forced to celebrate Republic Day on Wednesday, according to a spokesman for the administration.
1981 Rand Daily Mail 21 May 2Republic Day should be spent pondering on the inequalities of opportunity and achievement of black and white in South Africa.
1981 E. Prov. Herald 28 MayScores of arrests and detentions, school and university boycotts, protest meetings and Security Police raids were reported as the Republic Day celebrations neared their weekend climax.
1981 Oppidan (Rhodes University) 28 May 4If you are planning to celebrate Republic Day, consider carefully what this means. Will the future not see Verwoerd..only in a state museum of shame?
1986 P. Le Roux in Burman & Reynolds Growing Up 191The volksfeeste (folk festivals) — Republic Day, Kruger Day, and Day of the Covenant — interspersed with National Party stryddae (fètes), attracted fewer participants every year.
1988 D. Webster in Star 30 May 9This Republic Day will be no different from that first one in 1961. Many white South Africans will celebrate again while their black countrymen remain sidelined by the numerous laws known collectively as ‘apartheid’.
1990 R. Stengel January Sun 46On May 31, Republic Day, we were told to raise the flag. But I refused. Republic Day is no cause to celebrate.
1994 E. Prov. Herald 8 Sept. 1A number of public holidays, including Sharpeville Day, Kruger Day and Republic Day, will be scrapped next year.
The 31st of May, an annual public holiday commemorating the creation of the Republic of South Africa in 1961. Also attributive.
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