Do you remember the 21st night of September? Those lyrics, from the song "September" by Earth Wind and Fire bring back hundreds of memories for millions of people. On February 4, 2016, Maurice White, lead singer of Earth Wind and Fire passed away. In honor of the great man who provided entertainment and joy for so many, we are petitioning the White House to make September 21st Maurice White Day.

Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and arranger. He was the founder and leader of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. White served as the band's main songwriter, record producer, and co-lead singer with Philip Bailey. White has been described as a "musical renaissance man" by Allmusic and a "maestro" by Billboard. He was nominated for a total of 22 Grammys, of which he won seven. White was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, and was also inducted individually into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

White worked with several other famous recording artists, including Deniece Williams, the Emotions, Barbra Streisand, and Neil Diamond. White grew up in Memphis and was a member of his high school’s drum corps. He then moved to Chicago and studied at Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College (now Chicago College of Performing Arts). He began playing drums in local nightclubs and soon became a session drummer for Chess Records. White played (1966–69) with the trio led by jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis prior to forming a band, initially called the Salty Peppers and moving to Los Angeles. The group renamed Earth, Wind & Fire, signed with Warner Bros. Records and within two years released three albums that showcased its signature blend of jazz, funk, and soul music but gained little commercial notice.

After a lineup change and a new record label deal, Earth, Wind & Fire had a hit single in 1974 with “Mighty Mighty,” from its third record for Columbia, Open Our Eyes. With That’s the Way of the World (1975), which yielded the smash hits “Shining Star” and “Reasons,” the band broke through to superstardom. The infectious music appealed to all demographic groups, and the group went on to produce 16 Top 40 singles and 11 gold albums (8 of them platinum) and win 6 Grammy Awards. White was awarded a 1978 Grammy for his arrangement of Earth, Wind & Fire’s cover of the Beatles’ song “Got to Get You into My Life.” In addition to producing many of his own band’s albums, White produced recordings for such other artists as Barbra Streisand, El DeBarge, and Jennifer Holliday. Though ill health forced him to stop touring with the band in 1994, White remained its guiding spirit. Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted (2000) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and White was a 2010 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

So please, honor this life as the national treasure that he is, by making a part of his life a national holiday. Take September 21st and make it into "The 21st Night of September."