Memorial Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: May 30 Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – May 30-June 5, 2022
Qingming Festival Culture/religion: Chinese heritage Date: April 5 With a history of over 2,500 years, Qingming, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day is an important day of sacrifice for most people in honoring their ancestors. One of the most popular activities on this day is to show respect to one’s ancestors by visiting their graves, offering food, burning incense … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – April 4-10, 2022
Lantern Festival Culture/religion: Chinese heritage Date: February 15 Lantern Festival is celebrated in China annually and marks the end of the Chinese New Year. It dates back about 2,000 years and is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The Lantern Festival is on the first full moon night of the Chinese calendar, marking the return of spring and … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – February 14-20, 2022
African American Heritage Month Culture/religion: National observance Date: February African American History Month, also known as Black History Month, evolved out of “Negro History Week,” which was first celebrated in 1926, sponsored by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History* (ASNLH). The ASHLH chose the second week of February to celebrate Negro … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – January 31-February 6, 2022
National Deaf Awareness Week Culture/religion: National observance Date: September 20-24 International Week of the Deaf was started by the World Federation of the Deaf in 1958 in Rome, Italy. It is celebrated each year by the global Deaf community on the last week of September, commemorating the same month the first World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – September 20-26, 2021