Gov. Jay Inslee signed the proclamation on Jan. 31, which urged all Washington residents to join him in “this special observance.”

“Darwin’s discovery of natural selection continues to serve as the foundation for ongoing advances in science, health, philosophy, art, education and many other areas of public life,” it reads. “Darwin’s strength of character is evident in the great courage, wisdom and honesty required to explore and publish the findings supporting natural selection as the mechanism by which biological evolution occurs.”

“[T]he anniversary of Darwin’s birthday is an appropriate period on which to celebrate, reflect and act on the principles of intellectual bravery, perpetual curiosity and hunger for truth, which contribute to ...