Yes, he was first but he also was used as propaganda for communism which is responsible for murdering 100s of millions and enslaved 1/4 of the world's population at the time. So in essense it's a celebration of mass murder and the State enslaving humanity. Funny but we don't celebrate the scientific achievements of those other notorious socialists, -the Nazis. Probably only because they waged war against the communists.
I don't recall them celebrating Neal Armstrong or July 20, 1969.