A Legacy Reimagined: The Historical Foundations and Future Vision of National Invest In America Week℠
National Invest In America Week℠, observed annually from July 1–7, is not merely a contemporary civic innovation—it is a strategic reawakening of a national ethos first formally articulated in 1970 by President Richard Nixon. In a message issued on April 27, 1970, Nixon inaugurated National Invest-in-America Week, urging citizens to recognize the foundational role that private investment plays in sustaining the American economic system.
“Without the private investor, America would simply not be the country we know and love.”
— President Richard Nixon, Message About the Observance of National Invest-in-America Week
This presidential message, archived by the American Presidency Project at UC Santa Barbara, positioned investment not only as a market function, but as a moral and civic responsibility—a pledge to maintain national momentum through private enterprise, entrepreneurial risk, and intergenerational commitment.
From Federal Recognition to Civic Activation
More than fifty years later, that same spirit has been reimagined and scaled through the Jeff Shuford Roadmap℠, under the stewardship of the team behind National Invest In Veterans Week®. Recognized in the U.S. Congressional Record, National Invest In Veterans Week® laid the structural foundation for a broader civic and economic mobilization—culminating in the establishment of National Invest In America Week℠.
Unlike its 1970 predecessor, which centered on macroeconomic growth and private capital, the modern observance expands the definition of “investor” to include:
Local entrepreneurs building regionally resilient enterprises
Veteran and minority business owners navigating post-service economic life
Educators and mentors investing in generational knowledge transfer
Consumers making intentional choices to support domestic production
Civic leaders organizing economic summits, pitch nights, and public-private collaborations
This shift reflects a deeper truth: America’s prosperity is not merely measured in gross national product, but in distributed opportunity, civic participation, and localized wealth creation.
Civic Observance Meets Strategic Infrastructure
Today, National Invest In America Week℠ stands as a federally service-marked initiative guided by a sophisticated civic framework—decentralized, regionally activated, and powered by storytelling, partnership-building, and multi-sector engagement. Its platform includes:
The Invest In America Challenge™: A nationwide call for individuals, businesses, and institutions to complete at least one tangible act of civic or economic investment during the week.
Local activations via veteran state domain networks such as FloridaVeterans.com, PennsylvaniaVeterans.com, and WyomingVeterans.com.
Global recognition of the movement's blueprint through international observances like International Veterans Day (March 3rd).
Continuity, Not Coincidence
While National Invest In America Week℠ departs in scope and scale from Nixon’s original framing, it maintains continuity in intent. It reaffirms the essential premise that a free and thriving nation depends on the initiative of its citizens, not only in the ballot box or battlefield, but in the boardroom, the marketplace, the classroom, and the workshop.
The legacy of President Nixon’s 1970 message is not lost—it is elevated. His vision of private investment as a pillar of national success is now broadened to reflect 21st-century realities: economic equity, regional innovation, civic stewardship, and inclusive growth.
A Modern Day Call to Action
As the nation faces new challenges—economic stratification, post-pandemic recovery, supply chain fragility, and generational wealth disparity—National Invest In America Week℠ offers a cohesive, action-oriented response. It is a reminder that investment is not solely a financial act, but a declaration of faith in the American project.
In the words of Nixon:
“Our national needs and national goals have also grown apace… the future holds many challenges, both for public policy and for the private investor.”
And in the words of today’s movement:
“The best way to celebrate freedom is to invest in the people who protect and sustain it—our communities, our entrepreneurs, our educators, our veterans, and our future builders.”
For official participation guidance, resources, and storytelling toolkits, visit:
www.investinveteransweek.com/how-to-celebrate-national-invest-in-america-week
To explore the global expansion of the initiative, read:
From Domestic Doctrine to Global Model: The Transnational Rise of National Invest In Veterans Week® and the Emergence of National Invest In America Week℠
Let this be more than a holiday.
Let it be a nationwide habit of civic investment.
