Below is a list of the widely recognized awareness months and days designated to celebrate a particular culture or cause. Our goal is to promote awareness and understanding. Please let us know if you would are aware of other observances that you would like to see included.
January
- 1/1 – Emancipation Proclamation (Black American): on this day in 1863, President Lincoln declared all persons held as slaves would be free.
- 1/4 – Birthday of Louis Braille (People with Disabilities): French educator Louis Braille created a system of reading and writing for those who are visually impaired. His system, known worldwide as “braille,” remains largely unchanged today
- 1/17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor the American Baptist minister and activist, revered as one of the great leaders of the American civil rights movement
- 1/27 – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust (United Nations): commemorates the approximately 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered during World War II.
February
- Black History Month: celebrates African American History. February was chosen because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two men prominent in eliminating slavery, were both born in February
- 2/1 – Chinese New Year: festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year in the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar
- 2/14 – Birthday of Frederick Douglass (Black American): well-known American social reformer and abolitionist, Douglass escaped slavery and became a prominent activist during the Civil War
- 2/15 – Birthday of Susan B. Anthony (Women): visible leader of the women’s suffrage movement. She championed temperance, abolition, rights of labor, and equal pay for equal work.
March
- Women’s History Month: honors the vital role of women in American history
- 3/8 – International Women’s Day: celebrates the various (social, economic, cultural, political) achievements of women
- 3/10 – Birthday of Harriet Tubman (Black American): abolitionist and activis, best known for her role on the Underground Railroad
- 3/17 – St. Patrick’s Day (Irish): Feast of Saint Patrick, a cultural and religious celebration held around the world
- 3/21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations): after an incident in which police killed 69 people in South Africa in 1960, the UN created this event to call for elimination of racial discrimination
April
- 4/2 – World Autism Awareness Day (People with Disabilities): A day that seeks to improve the lives of those who suffer from autism
- 4/22 – Earth Day (International): celebrates the planet we live on, observed internationally in more than 192 countries
- 4/27-29 – Gathering of Nations (Native American): more than 500 Native tribes meet and celebrate various traditions and cultures
May
- Mental Health Awareness Month: recognizes the impact of mental illness on families and communities, and raises awareness for those living with mental and behavioral issues
- Older Americans Month: celebrates the contributions of older Americans in the country
- Jewish American Heritage Month: honors the history of American Jews and their accomplishments
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: pays tribute to these people and their contributions to society
- 5/5 – Cinco de Mayo (Mexican American): commemorates Mexico’s defeat of the French army. While it’s primarily observed by Mexican Americans, others often join the celebration as well
- 5/17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (LGBTQ+): raises awareness for LGBTQ+ rights
- 5/19 – Birthday of Malcolm X (Black American/Muslim): Malcolm X was an Black Muslim minister, well known for his activism during the civil rights movement. He was assassinated in 1965
June
- LGBT Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots and seeks to recognize the impact LGBT people have had around the world
- Caribbean American Heritage Month recognizes the significance of Caribbean culture and history in the U.S.
- 6/2 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (Native Americans): granted the right of citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S.
- 6/12 – Loving Day (Black American): anniversary of a historic court decision for interracial marriage
- Puerto Rican Day Parade (Puerto Rican): largest demonstration of cultural pride in the United States. It promotes prominent, historical figures and seeks to raise awareness of critical issues in the community
- 6/19 – Juneteenth (Black American): marks the anniversary of when African Americans first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was more than two years after it was initially issued
- 6/27 – Birthday of Helen Keller (People with Disabilities): while known as being both blind and deaf, Keller was one of the 20th century’s leading humanitarians and co-founder of the ACLU
July
- 7/2 – Birthday of Thurgood Marshall (Black American): well-known as a civil rights activist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
- 7/6 – Birthday of 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan): Happy Birthday to a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Tibet’s leader in exile!
- 7/6 – Birthday of Frida Kahlo (Women, Mexican): one of the most recognizable painters of the 20th century
- 7/7 – The Hajj (Islamic): annual pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims must take at least once in their lives
- 7/18 – Birthday of Nelson Mandela (South African): civil rights leader for South Africa, and the country’s first black president
- 7/25 – Pioneer Day (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) observed: Utah official holiday marking the arrival of LDS church founder Brigham Young arriving to the Salt Lake area
- 7/26 – Americans with Disabilities Act: outlawed the discrimination against people with disabilities
August
- 8/9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (United Nations): created by the UN, celebrates the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world
- 8/24 – Birthday of Marlee Matlin (People with Disabilities): Marlee Matlin is the only hearing-impaired actor to win the Oscar for best actor/actress
- 8/26 – Women’s Equality Day: commemorates the American women gaining the right to vote in 1920
September
- 9/15-10/15 – National Hispanic Heritage Month: This month honors the culture and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans
- National Recovery Month: This month helps to educate all Americans on treatment and mental health services for those with substance use disorder
- 9/21 – HeForShe (Women): initiated by the UN to promote gender equality
- 9/23 – Autumnal Equinox: As summer moves into fall, the autumnal equinox is a time for various religious observances worldwide
- 9/15 – 9/17 – Rosh Hashanah (Jewish): the Jewish New Year, a time for reflection in the faith
- 9/24 – 9/25 – Yom Kippur (Jewish): the most solemn religious fast of the Jewish year, the last of the 10 days of penitence that begin with Rosh Hashanah.
October
- Global Diversity Awareness Month: aims to promote knowledge and respect for various cultures
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month: advocates for people with disabilities, and their inclusion in the workforce
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: aims to increase awareness of the disease, one of the leading causes of death in women
- National Polish American Heritage Month: dedicated to honoring Polish heritage, October was chosen because it was when Polish settlers first arrived in Jamestown, VA in 1608
- LGBTQ+ History Month: LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson
- 10/10 – World Mental Health Day (People with Disabilities): promotes mental health awareness and education, and advocates against social stigma relating to mental health
- 10/9 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States): formerly called Columbus Day, honors the indigenous people of North America
- 10/19 – Spirit Day (LGBTQ+): wear purple on this day to support LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying
November
- Native American Heritage Month: celebrates the culture and heritage of individuals who deeply enrich the United States
- Movember - month-long fundraiser for men’s issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide
- 10/31-11/2 – All Saints Day/All Souls Day/Día de los Muertos: commemorates those who have passed away in the Christian faith and Mexican and Aztec communities
- 11/12 – Diwali (Hindu): significant celebration in the Hindu faith in which they praise diverse deities
- 11/16 – International Day for Tolerance (United Nations): founded by the UN to promote respect for various religions, languages, ethnicities, and cultures
- 11/16 – Dutch American Heritage Day: established to celebrate the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and the Netherlands
- 11/20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance (LGBTQ+): seeks to remember those who were murdered due to transphobia
December
- 12/1 – World AIDS Day: helps raise awareness of HIV/AIDs and money to cure it
- 12/3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations): raises awareness for the rights and well-being of those with disabilities
- 12/7-12/15 – Hanukkah (Jewish): celebrates the Jews triumphing over the Syrian Greeks for their independence
- 12/10 – International Human Rights Day (United Nations): adopted by the UN in 1948, celebrates the day it the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- 12/16-12/24 – Las Posadas (Mexican): religious festival in Mexico and some parts of the U.S. (primarily those with Mexican-Americans) of the Christmas season
- 12/21 – Winter Solstice/Yule: the winter sabbat according to the Pagan and Wiccan faiths
- 12/25 – Christmas (Christian): holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
- 12/26 – Kwanzaa (Black): 8-day holiday inspired by African harvest celebrations
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