Cleveland Mayor Tom L. Johnson supporter Peter Witt is credited with originating the idea of “Cleveland Day” in 1906. This from 7/15/1906 Plain Dealer
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and Tom L. Johnson thought it was a good idea and proclaimed it so, asking businesses to shut down for the day
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and so in 1906 the first Cleveland Day was celebrated on July 22
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Plain Dealer editorial July 22, 1909 advocating for the public to support “Cleveland Day”
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After Mayor Johnson’s death in 1912, some argued for combining “Cleveland Day with Tom L Johnson’s birthday (July 18)
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but that never caught on. And over time “Cleveland Day” declined in popularity and the city’s birthday, July 22 was celebrated primarily by the Early Settlers Association of the Western Reserve who have kept the idea of celebrating Cleveland alive by honoring Moses Cleaveland.
Moses Cleaveland celebration on July 21, 2017