By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Apr 07, 2008 at 5:19 AM

Take some time out today and crack open a beer ... yes, I know it's Monday, it's a special occasion.

It was 75 years ago today that the Cullen-Harrison Act went into effect, finally putting an end to Prohibition and jump-starting Milwaukee's brewing industry back into action. The Volstead Act was not fully repealed until Dec. 5, 1933, but beer sales were legal on April 7.

Many breweries, including Milwaukee's own Schlitz, Blatz and Pabst celebrated the occasion by sending their first cases of beer to the White House for President Franklin Roosevelt.

Wisconsin, ironically, was the second state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which formally put an end to Prohibition. The Badger state gave its approval on April 25.

At 10 a.m., Mayor Tom Barrett presents a proclamation declaring today "Beer Day" in Milwaukee. The event takes place at the Miller Inn at the Miller Brewing Company facilities.