— Ch. 1 · Origins And Early Usage —
Star Wars Day.
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
On Thursday the 3rd of May 1979, the London Evening News printed a half-page advertisement on page 13. The Conservatives party used the ad to support Margaret Thatcher before election results were counted. The text read Dear Maggie, May the Fourth Be with You. Your Party Workers. This political message marked the first recorded reference of the phrase in print media. The pun relied on the catchphrase from the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. Fans later adopted the slogan for their own celebrations without official sanction from Lucasfilm. In 1988, an episode of Count Duckula featured a character named Tremendous Terrance saying May the Fourth be with you. A UK Parliament defence debate on the 4th of May 1994 also included the line. Astrophysicist Jeanne Cavelos wrote about the saying in her 1999 book The Science of Star Wars. By 2008, Facebook groups celebrating Luke Skywalker Day began appearing online.
Grassroots To Official Recognition
The first organized celebration took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Toronto Underground Cinema in 2011. Sean Ward and Alice Quinn produced the event which included trivia games and costume contests. The second annual edition occurred on Friday, the 4th of May 2012. Fans including government officials like Boris Johnson celebrated the day through social media and television appearances. Major League Baseball teams and college sports organizations paid tribute to the franchise in various ways. Minor League Baseball teams such as the Toledo Mud Hens wore special uniforms during promotions. On Star Wars Day 2015, astronauts aboard the International Space Station watched Star Wars films together. Carillon bells inside the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa played The Imperial March theme that year. In June 2021, it was announced Carrie Fisher would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She received the star on Star Wars Day, the 4th of May 2023 after Disney purchased Lucasfilm rights in late 2012.