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
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: January 17 The third Monday of each January is dedicated to commemorating the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. King advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation, first coming to national prominence during the bus boycott of African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama in … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – January 17-23, 2022
New Year's Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: January 1 The earliest celebrations of a new year go back 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. The Babylonians marked the new year with the first new moon following the vernal equinox, which would have been a day with equal sunlight and darkness in late March. As time went on, more sophisticated calendars were … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – December 27, 2021-January 2, 2022
Chanukah Culture/religion: Judaism Date: November 29-December 6 Chanukah is the Jewish eight-day festival of lights, celebrated each night with menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. Chanukah means “dedication” in Hebrew and is named as such because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple. In second century BCE, Judah the Maccabee drove the Greeks … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – November 29-December 5, 2021
Thanksgiving Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: November 25 Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States and is celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November. Originating as a harvest festival and feast between the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the fall-winter holiday season. Early … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – November 22-28, 2021