April 24 isn’t just another day on the calendar — it’s a moment when we stop to remember, to reflect, and to recommit. On this day, year after year, we honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the Armenian genocide — a campaign of terror and extermination that began in 1915 under the Ottoman Empire.
It started with arrests. On April 24 of that year, Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were seized in Constantinople. What followed was a brutal effort to wipe out an entire people — through forced deportations, death marches, mass killings, and starvation. It was one of the first modern genocides, and its wounds still echo through generations.
Today, we remember those lives — not just as numbers, not just as history — but as individuals with families, hopes, and futures that were stolen. And in remembering, we remind ourselves why vigilance matters. Hatred, left unchecked, can rot societies from within. That’s why we speak about the Meds Yeghern — “The Great Crime” — not to dwell in the past, but to protect the future.
Survivors of the genocide were scattered across the globe, many of them eventually finding refuge in the United States. And despite all they endured, the Armenian people rebuilt. With determination and resilience, they formed new communities, held onto their identity, and passed down their stories so that they wouldn’t be lost to time.
Armenian Americans have contributed immeasurably to the life of this nation — in art, science, business, public service, and beyond. But woven into that success is a legacy of pain, one carried with dignity. That’s something we must always acknowledge. When we say we honor their story, we mean it. When we say we see their pain, we must listen. And when we affirm the truth of what happened, it’s not about placing blame — it’s about ensuring the world never forgets.
As we look back today, we must also look forward. What kind of world are we building for future generations? Are we confronting hatred when we see it? Are we defending human rights wherever they’re under threat? Do we speak up — even when it’s hard — to stop violence before it spreads?
Let this day be a reminder of the kind of future we owe our children: one free of bigotry and indifference. A future where dignity, justice, and security are not reserved for the few, but guaranteed for all. Let it also be a call to continue the long work of reconciliation — not just in one place, but around the world.
Today, the United States stands with Armenians everywhere. We honor those who were lost. We uplift the voices of survivors and descendants. And we say — clearly, openly, and without hesitation — that what happened over a century ago was genocide. Naming the truth is the first step toward justice.