Happy Bey-Day! Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton declared Monday, May 23, the first annual Beyoncé Day, the same day the superstar, 34, performed in his state.
"Beyoncé has influenced many Minnesota girls and women with the powerful, positive messages in her music,” Dayton said in an official statement, “and her impact and success have been widely-recognized.”
Minnesotan Beyhive members celebrated their queen’s special day at Minneapolis' U.S. Bank Stadium, when the “Sorry” singer hit the stage for a stop on her Formation world tour. Despite fans’ excitement, the outdoor concert was delayed due to a rainstorm. The venue was temporarily evacuated before Bey’s show finally began around 9:30 p.m., when the weather cleared up.
Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor @tinaflintsmith have proclaimed today as @Beyonce Day in MN pic.twitter.com/JNkgkd3M5Z
— Governor Mark Dayton (@GovMarkDayton) May 23, 2016
In addition to her eponymous holiday, the Destiny’s Child alum’s myriad accomplishments have inspired Rutgers University to add a Beyoncé-themed class to their curriculum. A course titled “Politicizing Beyoncé” is being offered at the New Brunswick, New Jersey, school.
In January 2014, Kevin Allred, a doctoral student and lecturer in the college’s Department of Women and Gender Studies, told Rutgers Today that the class will dissect race, gender and sexuality in America via Beyoncé's music.
“She certainly pushes boundaries. While other artists are simply releasing music, she’s creating a grand narrative around her life, her career, and her persona,” Allred explained of his course at the time. “[I want to] shift students away from simply being consumers of media toward thinking more critically about what they’re engaging on a regular basis.”
