National Repeal Day

National Repeal Day, observed on December 5, commemorates the repeal of Prohibition in the United States. On this day in 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified, ending the nationwide ban on the production, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages that had been established by the 18th Amendment.

The observance offers an opportunity to reflect on a fascinating chapter in American history—one shaped by debates over law, personal freedom, public health, and social change. Whether learning about the era, raising a responsible toast, or enjoying time with friends, National Repeal Day invites people to appreciate the historical significance of December 5 and the return of legal alcohol in the United States.

National Repeal Day is observed on December 5 to commemorate the end of Prohibition in the United States. On December 5, 1933, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the Twenty-First Amendment, providing the three-quarters majority required to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment. The repeal formally ended the nationwide constitutional ban on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages.

Prohibition had begun in 1920, after the Eighteenth Amendment took effect and the Volstead Act established the legal framework for enforcing it. Although the movement was intended to reduce alcohol consumption and address social problems, the policy produced widespread illegal markets, including bootlegging and speakeasies. Organized crime expanded in many cities, while enforcement proved difficult and uneven. The Great Depression also strengthened arguments for repeal, as legal alcohol sales and taxation were seen as potential sources of employment and government revenue.

The repeal process gained momentum during the early 1930s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported ending Prohibition, and Congress proposed the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933. Unlike most constitutional amendments, it was sent to special state ratifying conventions rather than state legislatures, allowing the decision to be made more directly by delegates. Once Utah supplied the decisive vote on December 5, the amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, making it the only U.S. constitutional amendment to be expressly repealed by another.

Today, National Repeal Day has both historical and cultural significance. It is often marked by discussions of Prohibition, visits to historically themed establishments, and social events recalling the cocktails, music, and nightlife associated with the 1920s and early 1930s. More broadly, the observance invites reflection on the limits of government regulation, the unintended consequences of prohibition, and the way constitutional policy can change in response to public opinion and practical experience.