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Home , Barack Obama Day, Black History Month, Cesar Chavez Day, Cinco de Mayo, December 6, Easter postcard

Diversity of Events - 2021 NOTE: This is an abbreviated compilation of several national diversity for quick reference. More detailed calendars, information and sources for research are available on the Committee for Diversity and Inclusion web site under “Resources.” https://www.usd383.org/community/committee-for-diversity-and-inclusion/resources January Opening of Ellis Island In 1892, the first Ellis Island Immigration Station was officially opened in New Harbor. By 1924, more than 25 million passengers and crew had entered the through the "Gateway to America." The Immigration Act of 1924 restricted immigration, marking the end of mass immigration to the United States

January 1 Emancipation Proclamation Anniversary In 1863, President Lincoln signed this edict proclaiming that all slaves living within rebelling Confederate states "are, and henceforth shall be, free." January 1-4 Japanese Celebration Shogatsu is the celebration of the New Year - the most important in . Entrances are decorated with a Shimekezari, a twisted straw rope with fern leaves, an orange, and other items considered good omens. People send New Year's postcards to friends and relatives (to arrive on New Year's Day), decorate their entrances, wear ceremonial attire, visit shrines, and eat mochi (rice cakes). Family members gather in their hometown and spend the time together Day (Orthodox) Following the , Greek and Eastern Orthodox celebrate Christmas on or around January 6. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Day of Service Commemorates the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and an activist for nonviolent social change until his assassination on 4, 1968. Always celebrated on the third Monday in January. The Day of Service encourages citizens to follow King's words: "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." 1-28 Black History Begun in 1926 by Black scholar and historian Carter G. Woodson, was originally celebrated as a weeklong event. In 1976, Congress expanded the observance to the entire month of February.

February 12 ’s Birthday Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He is remembered for leading the Union through the and freeing Confederate slaves with the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and for delivering the Gettysburg address. (also called ) To prepare for this major holiday, people clean their homes, buy new shoes and clothing (especially in red), and get new haircuts. The biggest event is the New Year dinner, an elaborate meal that celebrates family ties. The Lunar New Year is celebrated by Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, among others, all over the world with music, dance, costumes, and firecrackers. Presidents' Day

On the third Monday in February remember the achievements of two of the nation's greatest presidents. Students across the country learn about the achievements and contributions of George and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthdays both were in February. Mardi Gras, also known as Fat (Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday") or , is the last day of feasting before begins on . March -31 Women's History Month In the United States, March is Women's History Month and the celebration of the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. International Women's Day

The day honors working women everywhere, celebrating their economic, political, and social ​ achievements. This day is also the anniversary of the 1857 garment and textile workers' strike in New York, one of the first organized actions by women anywhere. - (Pesach) Passover or Pesach is an eight-day long celebration during which Jewish families traditionally commemorate the deliverance of the from in Egypt. The highlight of the Passover celebration is the ceremony of Seder performed on the first two evenings of Passover.

March 31 César Chávez Day A U. S federal commemorative holiday proclaimed by President in 2014. The holiday celebrates the birth and legacy of the civil rights and labor movement activist César Chávez, and of the co-founder of his Association, , born . Their nonviolent advocacy approach earned them worldwide respect. April World Autism Awareness Day Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with fundraising and awareness-raising events. April 4 In the Christian faith, Easter Sunday commemorates 's resurrection. Lent, Ash Wednesday, and mark a period of spiritual preparation for Easter. - 11 During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic , all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. This is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on , and practice self-sacrifice. -16 Holocaust

Congress established the Day of Remembrance as the nation’s annual commemoration of the ​ ​ Holocaust. May -31 Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month A diverse group whose heritages represent more than 50 ethnic groups and 100 languages, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made enormous contributions to the civic, cultural, and economic fabric of our nation. Read more at these sites: May 1-31 Jewish American Heritage Month On , 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month, recognizing the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture.

May 4 National Teacher Day National Teacher Day is a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives. Congress declared , 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only. In May of 2009, a bill was introduced in Congress that created a of teacher recognition on the Tuesday of the first full week of May. The anniversary of the unlikely 1862 Mexican victory over the French army at the Battle of in 1862 is more widely celebrated in the United States than in , where it is considered a regional holiday. In the U. S. it also celebrates the defeat of the Confederates in in 1862. Mother’s Day

Mother's Day honors mothers and motherhood. Though not a yet federal holiday, it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast) The Muslim celebration commemorates the completion of Ramadan and lasts for three days, sundown to sundown. It is a festival of thanksgiving to Allah for enjoying the month of Ramadan and involves wearing one’s finest clothing, saying special , sweets, presents for children, and community festivities. ​ Anniversary of School Desegregation Ruling On this date in 1954, racial segregation in public schools was unanimously ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education in Topeka, as a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment clause guaranteeing equal protection under the law. -18 This Jewish festival, the festival of weeks, is celebrated seven weeks after the second . Although Shavuot began as an ancient grain harvest festival, the holiday has been identified since biblical times with the giving of the on . This holiday commemorates American men and women who have died in military service. This day is dedicated to the adoption of the flag of the United States in 1777 by resolution of the Second .

June 19 Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or , commemorates the announcement in Texas in 1865 of the abolition of slavery - two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Father’s Day A day honoring fathers, Father’s Day is celebrated in the United States, the , and on the 3rd Sunday in June, since being made a national holiday in 1966. or Fourth of July

Independence Day was first celebrated on , 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the public. Congress declared July 4th a federal legal holiday in 1941. Anniversary of the Signing of Americans with Disabilities Act 2021 marks the 29th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice The Islamic Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of . The festival recalls Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah, and concludes the , the annual Muslim pilgrimage to . -10 () The month of Muharram marks the beginning of the Islamic . The Islamic year begins on the first day of Muharram, and is counted from the year of the (anno Hegirae), the year in which emigrated from Mecca to (A.D. , 622). ​ -15 (Feast of Lanterns) The Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed spirits of one's ancestors has evolved into a family reunion holiday. Celebrated for over 500 years, the event lasts for three days. Women’s Equality Day

th Commemorates the day in 1920 when the 19 ​ Amendment to the Constitution was certified, giving ​ women the right to vote.

September 6 Labor Day honors the American worker and acknowledges the value and dignity of work and its role in American life. Labor Day was first celebrated on , 1882. - 15 Heritage Month National Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance authorized by Public Law 100-402. Mexican Independence Day September 16 celebrates the beginning of Mexico's struggle for independence from in 1810. May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) celebrates a different event in Mexican and U. S. history. Several other American countries celebrate their independence around this date. -8 (Jewish New Year) Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year, is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. September 15-17 Kippur (Day of Atonement) , or the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar. Its central theme are atonement and . Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of and intensive , often spending most of the day in services. -27 (Jewish Feast of ) Beginning at sunset on the first day, five days after the solemn reflections of Yom Kippur, this joyous seven-day festival celebrates the harvest and commemorates the Jews’ passage through the wilderness, desperate for food and shelter. Common observances include building and “dwelling” in a temporary booth or “hut,” and waving branches and fruit.

October

October 1-31 LGBT History Month LGBT History Month brings awareness to the problems and the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people. -31 Italian American Heritage Month Every year the U.S. president signs an executive order designating the month of October as National Italian American Heritage Month in recognition of the achievements and contributions made to American culture by persons of Italian heritage. Gandhi's Birthday & International Day of Nonviolence Mohandas Karamchand “Mahatma” Gandhi is one of the most respected spiritual and political leaders of the twentieth century. Through nonviolent resistance, Gandhi helped free from British rule. The Indian people called Gandhi “Mahatma,” meaning Great Soul. World Teachers' Day Created in 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Teachers' Day is an annual and internationally recognized day devoted to the assessment, improvement, and appreciation of teachers worldwide. German American Day In 1987, President proclaimed this day German American Day, commemorating the 1683 arrival in America of 13 German families on board a sailing vessel. Celebrated annually on the second Monday in October, this federal holiday honors all explorers and commemorates Columbus’ sighting of the New World in 1492. It is also a time to remember a group of people who discovered America before Columbus: the ancestors of modern Native Americans. October 12 Indigenous People’s Day Beginning in 1992, drums across the USA and in different time zones coordinate ceremonies to celebrate 500 years of North American Indigenous people’s resistance and survival. October 12 Día de la Hispanidad (Spain)/ Día de () Remembers the arrival of in America, a day with complex, controversial meanings. In most Spanish-speaking countries, it celebrates the coming together of many cultures to create a new people (raza) and has many different names. ​ Multicultural Diversity Day Celebrated on the third Monday in October, this day was adopted as a national event by NEA's 1993 United Nations Day In the spring of 1945, representatives of fifty nations gathered in to put the final touches to a document of far-reaching consequences - the Charter of the United Nations. The UN Charter went into effect on October 24, 1945.

October 28 Statue of Liberty On this day in 1886, President Grover dedicated the Statue of Liberty, officially titled "Liberty Enlightening the World." Also known as All Hallows’ Eve—the evening before All Saints Day or All Hallows Day—this event has in the ancient Celtic festival of (SOW-an). -30 American Indian Heritage Month November was officially recognized as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month in 1990 when President George H.W. Bush signed it into Public Law. See these sites for more Day is an annual American holiday honoring military veterans. It is both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states. U.S. President first proclaimed an for November 11, 1919. Known as the "Indian Festival of Lights”, this major Hindu holiday signifies the renewal of life, and the victory of good over evil. To celebrate, people light lamps and candles, set off , and wear new clothes. -19 American Education Week NEA's American Education Week (AEW) spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great. Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Day, an annual national holiday in the United State and Canada, celebrates the harvest and other blessing of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.

November 28- Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the Maccabee’s military victory over the Greek Syrians and the rededication of the Holy Temple in and restoring its menorah, or ​ lamp. The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil to illuminate the Temple lamp for one day, and yet it lasted for eight full days. December December 6-10 Inclusive Schools Week This annual event, sponsored by the Inclusive Schools Network (ISN), celebrates the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive, quality education to students who are marginalized due to disability, gender, socioeconomic status, cultural heritage, language preference, and other factors. Christmas Christmas is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. In , Christmas marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. -January 1

Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday based on the agricultural celebration of called “the first fruits,” which celebrate the times of harvest, gathering, reverence, commemoration of the past, recommitment to cultural ideals, and celebration of the good. New Year's Eve New Year's Eve is December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year and the day before New Year's Day. In modern Western practice, New Year's Eve is celebrated with and social gatherings marking the passing of one year into the next, at midnight.