Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help.
Authors:
Margaret M. Wood, Senior Legal Reference Librarian, Law Library of Congress
Constance Johnson, Senior Legal Research Analyst, Law Library of Congress (Retired)
Editors:
Anna Price, Senior Legal Reference Librarian, Law Library of Congress
Barbara Bavis, Bibliographic and Research Instruction Librarian, Law Library of Congress
Andrew Winston, Chief of Public Services Division, Law Library of Congress
Jenny Gesley, Foreign Law Specialist, Law Library of Congress
Note: This guide was originally published on the Law Library's Commemorative Observances page in 2008.
Created: August 9, 2020
Last Updated: March 2, 2022
Human Rights Day is observed each year to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights External (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The adoption of the UDHR was proclaimed in United Nations General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) [PDF] External.
The Law Library of Congress has prepared material with commentary and recommended resources for selected national observances and commemorative months. This guide provides a brief historical background of the United Nations General Assembly activities and presidential proclamations that established Human Rights Day.
The Law Library of Congress contains the world’s largest collection of law books and legal resources. It is a repository for the complete record of American law and holds foreign law materials covering all major national, state, and equivalent jurisdictions. In 1832, the Law Library was officially established to provide the United States Congress and Supreme Court with access to current and accurate legal research materials. Over time, our mission was expanded to include other branches of the U.S. Government, the public, and the global legal community. This evolving mission is supported by a collection of around three million volumes and brings together the expertise of approximately 100 lawyers, librarians, other professionals, and support staff who provide legal reference, research, and analysis using the Law Library’s collection. We also draw upon the collections and expertise of our colleagues throughout the Library of Congress.