National Honesty Day Observed April 30 in Promotion of Truth
Today is National Honesty Day, when people are encouraged to be more honest and open in their everyday lives, in the workplace, and in interactions with others.
National Honesty Day was established in the 1990s by M. Hirsh Goldberg.
Goldberg is the author of several books and a former press secretary to a governor of the state of Maryland.
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During the 1990mys Goldberg wrote, The Book of Lies: Schemes, Scams, Fakes, and Frauds That Have Changed the Course of History and Affect Our Daily Lives. He spent four years researching the lies that have changed the course of history before he wrote The Book of Lies, which was first published in May of 1991.
After finishing the book Goldberg became motivated to establish a National Honesty Day to encourage national honesty and truth.
National Honesty Day "encourages honesty in the workplace and the market place and to honor the honorable," Goldberg has said of the holiday.
Some of the biggest lies in history include Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme, France's Dreyfus affair, Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, and the anti-Semitic lies perpetrated by Adolf Hitler and his minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels in Germany following World War I.
Goldberg chose to celebrate the virtue of honesty on April 30 as a way to end the month, which beings with begins with April Fools Day pranks, on a higher moral note.
Italy also celebrates its own National Honesty Day every year.
In Italy, National Honesty Day generally serves as a day to campaign against commercial manipulation and unfulfilled promises emanating from the private sector. The Italians typically celebrate National Honesty Day in December on the Sunday before Christmas Day.
