which will live in infamy

“Which will live in infamy” is a famous phrase from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech to Congress on December 8, 1941, describing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the day before as “a date which will live in infamy.” In this context, “infamy” means a state of disgrace or evil reputation so great that the event’s horror will be remembered for generations.

Origin of the phrase

• The line appears in Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy…”.

• He changed an early draft from “live in world history” to “live in infamy” to emphasize the shocking, criminal nature of the attack rather than just its historical significance.

What “infamy” means

• “Infamy” is defined as an evil or shameful reputation caused by something grossly criminal, shocking, or brutal.

• So a “date which will live in infamy” is a day remembered not for glory but for disaster, treachery, and moral outrage.

How the phrase is used today

• The phrase is now often invoked for other traumatic or shocking events (for example, 9/11) to suggest they will be permanently etched in public memory as moments of national or global disgrace.

• In forum discussions or news commentary, saying some action or decision “will live in infamy” usually means it will be condemned and remembered as notoriously wrong or harmful, not just mildly controversial.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.