Free Speech Week recognizes free speech and press in the United States. The observance takes place annually during the third full week in October.
The First Amendment of the United States Consitution guarantees our right to free speech and press. The week urges us to learn about our rights and be aware of them. There are some limitations to the exercise of free speech and press. Time, place and manner are dictated by legal doctrine and enforced by the Constitution and the Supreme Court.
By understanding how the First Amendment works, we can better exercise our rights. A great way to learn is by studying the history behind free speech and press. It’s important to study the early years of the United States – it is the 1st amendment, after all. The country ratified it on September 25, 1789. It still took two years before it was adopted.
Other areas to study include early court cases like Schenk v. United States in 1919. You can find more by visiting the Bill of Rights Institute.
HOW TO OBSERVE #FreeSpeechWeek
Let your voice be heard. Understand your rights to free speech and exercise them. Join an event near you. Write about what’s important to you and publish it. Read about the history of free speech and press how it has influenced the United States. Speak up, speak out. Words have power. Use them and share them using #FreeSpeechWeek on social media.
FREE SPEECH WEEK HISTORY
The idea for Free Speech Week was introduced in 2003 by The Media Institute. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, American Bar Association, Americans for the Arts, the National Constitution Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities united to help launch the first celebration in 2005.
National Rehabilitation Awareness Week during the third full week in September recognizes the outstanding services provided by rehabilitation professionals. The goal of the week is to express appreciation for rehabilitation experts and assistants who work as physical, occupational, cardiac, and speech therapists.
Rehabilitation therapists need both a thorough knowledge of the human body and the right mix of patience and understanding. Their expertise continues to expand, so that modern rehab techniques employ yoga, mental health, and nutritional counseling.
HOW TO OBSERVE #RehabilitationAwarenessWeek
Invite a rehabilitation specialist to address your office staff, workplace, or school class. Make it a brown bag session! More than 50% of Americans will utilize the service of a rehabilitation specialist. So this week would be a good week for those who have benefited from dropping off baked good with a rehab staff.
Some rehab clinics offer free screenings this week, Watch for local opportunities. Learn more about rehabilitation services and career at https://www.naranet.org
Use #RehabilitationAwarenessWeek or #RehabWeek to follow the conversation on social media.
NATIONAL REHABILITATION WEEK HISTORY
Since 1976, the observance began as a small even sponsored by a Pennsylvania company called Allied Service. It promoted the value of rehabilitation, highlighting the capability of the professionals who help minimize disabilities and restore those affected by disease or injury.
The profession began in World War I to take care of injured soldiers. At the time, it was a female-only profession with 274 members of the American Women’s Physical Therapy Association. Graduates of physical therapy schools were in short supply. More schools offered course work to meet the demand in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Schools started employing thousands of occupational therapists in the last half of the 20th Century to help disabled children.
Speech therapy began in England in the 1700s. In the early 1900s, it grew in importance as many World War II soldiers suffered brain injuries and needed speech rehabilitation.
Universal Children’s Week: 1-7Sukkot: 1-9World Dairy Expo: 7-12 (First Tues. – Sunday)No Salt Week: 3-10Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: 4-7National Storytelling Weekend: 4-6 (1st Full Weekend) ?World Space Week: 4-10Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend: 5-6National Physicians Assistant Week: 6-12Emergency Nurses Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)Fire Prevention Week: 6-12Great Books Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)Mental Illness Awareness Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)Mystery Series Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)National Carry A Tune Week: 6-12National Metric Week: 5-11 (Week always has 10th in it.)National Work From Home Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)Nuclear Medicine Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week)Customer Service Week: 7-11 (1st Week) ?Fall Astronomy Week: 7-13Financial Planning Week: 6-12 (1st Mon-Sun Week)Kids’ Goal Setting Week: 7-11Spinning & Weaving Week: 7-13World Rainforest Week: 7-13Take Your Medicine Americans Week: 10-16Great American Beer Festival: 10-12Bullying Bystanders Unite Week: 19-25 (Third Full Week)Earth Science Week: 12-18 (Always 2nd Full Week)Freedom From Bullies Week: 12-18 (2nd Full Week)Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week: 13-19National Chestnut Week: 12-18 (2nd Full Week)National Food Bank Week: 12-18 (Week Always Has 16th in it, World Food Day)Teen Read Week: 13-19YWCA Week Without Violence: 12-18 (Second Full Week)National School Lunch Week: 13-17 (Starts on 2nd Monday)YWCA Week Without Violence: 14-20Food & Drug Interactions and Awareness Week: 17-24
National Pharmacy Week: 18-24
Freedom of Speech Week: 19-25 (3rd Full Week)Medical Assistants Recognition Week: 19-25 (3rd Full Week) LinkNational Character Counts Week: 20-26National Chemistry Week: 20-26National Forest Products Week: 19-25 (Starts Third Sunday)National Friends of Libraries Week: 19-25 (Third Full Week)National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week: 20-26National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: 19-25 (Always Third week)National Massage Therapy Week: 19-25 (Last Full Week)National Respiratory Care Week: 19-25 (last full week)National Save For Retirement Week: 19-25 (3rd Full Week)Pastoral Care Week: 20-26Red Ribbon Week: 19-25 (Last Week)Ally Week: 21-25Kids Care Week: 10/26 – 11/1 (Always Includes 10/27 Make A Difference Day)National School Bus Safety Week: 21-25 (Third Full Week)National Nuclear Science Week: 21-25Disarmament Week: 24-30Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week: 24-30Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week: 24-31World Origami Days: 24-11/11International Magic Week: 25-31Give Wildlife a Brake! Week: 27-11/2
National Rendering Day is on April 21 and we are celebrating by bringing awareness to reducing and eliminating food waste through a process known as rendering. Read more…
National Kindergarten Day | April 21
NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY
Each year on April 21st, National Kindergarten Day honors the birthday of the man who started the first Kindergarten. Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel (April 21, 1782 – June 21, 1852) is credited with starting the very first Kindergarten in Germany in 1837. Frobel was a German teacher and a student of Johann Pestalozzi. Frobel laid a foundation for modern education, recognizing that children learn through play and experience. Read more…
National Yellow Bat Day | April 21
NATIONAL YELLOW BAT DAY
April 21st honors National Yellow Bat Day. On this day in 1967, the Army activated the 265th Army Security Agency Company (Airborne) with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Read more…
National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day | Third Friday in April
NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET DAY
National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day occurs annually on the third Friday in April. The day aims to raise awareness and effectively rid homes of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications sitting in medicine cabinets, nightstands, or kitchen cabinets that have the potential for misuse or abuse by family members, friends, or visitors. Read more…
National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day | April 21
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE-COVERED CASHEWS DAY
National Chocolate-Covered Cashews Day is observed each year on April 21st. Not unlike other nuts, cashews and chocolate get along well together. Of course, chocolate lovers savor the combination of nutty crunch and creamy, rich chocolate. Read more…
In a medium saucepan, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, basil, and oregano. Bring to a simmer.
Use over pasta, as a dipping sauce, in lasagna or use as a base for soups. This recipe can also be frozen for easy meal prep during the week.
April 21st Celebrated History
1962
President John F. Kennedy opens the Seattle World’s Fair via remote control from Palm Beach, Florida. The central feature of the fair was the 600 foot tall Space Needle. It included a revolving dining room and 360-degree viewing.
1977
Based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold Gray, Annie debuts on Broadway. Peter Howard directs the award-winning musical. It won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
1989
Chinese students protested in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The demonstrations called for democracy, free speech, and a free press from the Chinese government. The protest led to mass demonstrations and the Chinese government declared martial law.
April 21st Celebrated Birthday
Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel – 1782
The German student of Johann Pestalozzi is credited with laying the foundation for the modern kindergarten in Blankenburg, German.
Charlotte Bronte – 1816
In 1847, the English novelist published her most notable work, Jane Eyre.
John Muir – 1838
The naturalist and preservationist is best known for co-founding the Sierra Club. Through his efforts, natural treasures such as Yosemite, Sequoia, the Grand Canyon, and Mt. Rainier are protected as national parks.
Dorothy Baker – 1907
Author Dorothy Baker wrote three novels in her lifetime earning her a Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Queen Elizabeth II – 1926
On February 6, 1952, Elizabeth II succeeded her father King George VI following his death. She has four children; Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. She is the longest-reigning British monarch.
About National Day Calendar
National Day Calendar is the original and authoritative source for fun, unusual and unique National Days! Since our humble beginnings on National Popcorn Day in 2013, we have been tracking the National Days, National Weeks, National Months, and International Days. We became the first calendar of its kind to curate the days all in one place and tell their stories, too! Here at National Day Calendar, we are on a mission to Celebrate Every Day with you! And by you, we mean families, businesses, educators, and strangers we meet on the street. There’s more than one day for everyone.
At National Day Calendar, we discovered the National Days have a way of inspiring us. We’re honored to tell the stories behind the days and provide you with informational ways to incorporate the National Days into your business, family, schools, and home!
Hang on to your hats and celebrate in style on National Hat Day. Celebrated each year on January 15th, don your favorite fedora, cap, cloche, derby, or sunhat. Dig out your ceremonial best and tell the story behind it. Wear your warmest tuque, stocking cap, beanie, and share the name you give it. There are so many hats, fashions, and names we give them. Certainly, we could wear a hat a day and never get through them all. Read more…
National Bagel Day | January 15
NATIONAL BAGEL DAY
Toast up your favorite flavor on National Bagel Day. On January 15th, don’t forget to pick your favorite schmear, too. Make it for breakfast, lunch, snack, or all of the above! Read more…
National Booch Day | January 15
NATIONAL BOOCH DAY
On January 15, National Booch Day (also known as National Kombucha Day) kicks off a delicious way to celebrate with kombucha fans. Read more…
National Strawberry Ice Cream Day | January 15
NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY
Each year, National Strawberry Ice Cream Day on January 15th celebrates one of the choicest flavors of ice cream. All flavors of ice cream are recognized on July 1st. Read more…
This recipe calls for double cheese using pepper jack and cream cheeses with tangy red pepper jelly and thinly sliced apples, topped with bacon, and grilled into gooey goodness.
Ingredients
2 slices Abigail’s Oven Jalapeño Cheddar sourdough Pepper jack cheese Butter Tart apple (Granny Smith works great, but any apple will work) Cooked bacon (3 slices per sandwich) Cream cheese Red chili pepper jelly
Instructions
Heat a skillet to medium heat. Butter at least one side of each slice of bread (could do both if you want it extra buttery). Smear cream cheese on one slice, then place 3 slices of crispy bacon on the cream cheese. On top of the bacon, place a half-inch (1 cm) thick slice of pepper jack cheese, covering the entire piece of bread, then top with 3-5 very thinly sliced tart apples.
Place that half of the sandwich in the skillet and lower the heat to medium-low. On the remaining slice, smear red chili pepper jelly, then place it on top of the other half of the sandwich in the skillet with the red chili pepper jelly next to the apple slices. Press the sandwich down with a pancake turner or sandwich press, and toast until golden brown.
Flip the sandwich over, and toast until the other side is golden and the cheese is melted (sometimes covering the pan will evenly distribute the heat and help melt the cheese faster). Remove from the skillet and enjoy this amazing sandwich with a fork and knife and a hearty soup on the side With Tomato Basil Soup on the side, this is a comforting and filling sandwich for lunch or dinner, or just about anytime.
Recipe Credit: Darryl Alder
January 15th Celebrated History
1943
Contractors complete the construction of the United States Department of Defense’s headquarters, also known as the Pentagon. Architect George Bergstrom designed the five-sided building located in Arlington County, Virginia.
1967
The Green Bay Packers square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl Championship. Played at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA, the Packers took home the trophy by defeating the Chiefs 35-10.
1919
A flood of molasses kills 21 people in Boston. The Red Cross aided victims when a vat at the U.S. Industrial Alcohol Company of Cambridge burst causing between 1.5 and 2 million gallons of molasses to spill into the streets. It flooded and damaged buildings, knocked streetcars off their tracks, and sucked carriages into its wake.
January 15th Celebrated Birthdays
Abigail Kelley Foster – 1811
A resolute figure of the anti-slavery movement, Foster founded the Millbury Anti-Slavery Society and was known for her ability as a speaker, recruiter, and fundraiser. Her efforts to abolish slavery translated to women’s rights following the Civil War. Foster became one of the prominent figures in support of women’s suffrage.
Edward Teller – 1908
In 1943, the Hungarian-born American nuclear physicist joined the Manhattan Project. Teller would go on to lead the U.S. government’s development of the world’s first thermonuclear weapon – the hydrogen bomb.
Martin Luther King Jr. – 1929
The civil rights activist is best known for advancing the Civil Rights Movement using nonviolent civil disobedience. King’s speeches, activism, and marches influenced an entire generation, and his words still resonate today.
About National Day Calendar
National Day Calendar is the original and authoritative source for fun, unusual and unique National Days! Since our humble beginnings on National Popcorn Day in 2013, we have been tracking the National Days, National Weeks, National Months, and International Days. We became the first calendar of its kind to curate the days all in one place and tell their stories, too! Here at National Day Calendar, we are on a mission to Celebrate Every Day with you! And by you, we mean families, businesses, educators, and strangers we meet on the street. There’s more than one day for everyone.
At National Day Calendar, we discovered the National Days have a way of inspiring us. We’re honored to tell the stories behind the days and provide you with informational ways to incorporate the National Days into your business, family, schools, and home!
In 2017, National Day Calendar®began celebrating each state in the order they entered the union starting the week of Independence Day and ending with Hawaii. We highlight a small part of each states’ history, foods and the people who make up the state. Many states have their own state celebrations, and National Day Calendar’s observances in no way replace them. There’s so much more to explore, we can’t help but celebrate our beautiful country even more!
National Georgia Day | August 3
NATIONAL GEORGIA DAY
The 13th colony and the 4th state to enter the Union, National Georgia Day recognizes the natural wonders and immense complexities of this bastion of Southern culture.
#NationalGeorgiaDay
Georgia’s founder, James Oglethorpe, settled the colony’s first capital, Savannah. Georgia would go on to have four more capitals, Augusta, Louisville, Milledgeville and finally, Atlanta
Politically and socially, a divide has always seemed to exist. Considering Georgia was initially established as a barrier of fortification between South Carolina’s southern border and the Spanish settled in Florida, perhaps Georgia lived up to destiny.
To Sign or Not to Sign
Georgia initially prohibited slavery in 1735. Of the 13 original colonies, she was the only one to do so. The prohibition lasted 15 years. Leading up the Revolution, Georgia leaned toward supporting the crown and was the single colony not in attendance at the First Continental Congress.
During the Second Continental Congress, Georgia first sent one delegate, Lyman Hall. However, Hall didn’t vote because he only represented a single parish in Georgia. The colony later sent Button Gwinnett and George Walton as official delegates. All three signed the Declaration of Independence.
Wars were destructive for Georgia. Her people and the economy suffered, and the resistance to social change persisted.
During the 20th century, industrial and technological advancements found a niche in Georgia’s economy. A hub for airlines, military bases and international corporations, Georgia rebounded once more.
National Georgia Day Flavor
When it comes to Georgia, words that come to mind include home-cookin’ and comfort food. Don’t be surprised by the serving size, the number of fried foods or desserts. Two things are certain, they’re made from the heart, and they are delicious!
Just about anything can be fried, including okra, green tomatoes, chicken, seafood and Vidalia onions. Since 1986, those sweet onions grow in Vidalia and 20 Georgia counties, and nowhere else by Geogia law.
Peaches are to Georgia like sunshine is summer. Take a bite out a ripe one and let the juice run down your chin. Or, enjoy all the wonderful peach pastries or canned peaches Georgia has to offer. From pies to jellies, there are so many ways to bring the flavor of Georgia home with you.
Grab a Coca-Cola and some boiled peanuts to enjoy the summer weather. Georgia is home to Coca-Cola and enjoying salty peanuts go back to the Civil War era.
Real BBQ finds a home in the South and in Georgia, you better show up early or you won’t get served. When its done right, there’s bound to be a limited supply, so it sells out early, too!
When the air is cool, a Brunswick stew is in order. With tomatoes, lima beans, corn, okra, potatoes, and chicken, beef or any game to be had, this one-dish meal will warm the whole family up on cold, Southern evening.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL GEORGIA DAY
Overall, Georgia’s history is fertile for inspiration. Alongside the peach orchards and cotton fields surge crops of masterful artists, musicians, writers, and poets. Their experiences with the beauty, history, and humanity of Georgia fill the eyes and ears with more than can be appreciated in one visit.
Join National Day Calendar by exploring the sites, sounds, flavors and beauty of Georgia and use #NationalGeorgiaDay to share on social media.
Mediator, negotiator and diplomat, Tomochichi provided enormous assistance to colonists and his people during the arrival of General James Oglethorpe and others that followed. As a result of his relationships, Savannah was established as well as a Christian school at Irene with the aid of Benjamin Ingham. Today, a marker in Savannah Wright Square honors his achievements.
The first woman to occupy a seat in the United States Senate in 1922, Rebecca Latimer Felton was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of her husband Thomas E. Watson. She served 24 hours while the Senate was in session before her replacement was elected. Felton had a full journalism and activist career before her appointment and had been instrumental in her husband’s campaigns.
Juliette Gordon How created Girls Scouts of the USA in 1912. Fostering the potential of girls around the world and creating a global network, Gordon How soon established a movement that broke boundaries and developed generations of independent women. Today, the Girl Scouts of the USA services millions of members and their alumnae as a result of Gordon How’s inspiring dedication.
An early Dead Ball Era outfielder from rural Narrows Georgia, Ty Cobb lead a controversial baseball career. His aggressive style and dominate personality made him no friends in the dugout. In the batter’s box and on the field his strategic playing made him a master of the modern game of baseball.
Cobb spent a majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers. After 22 seasons, he spent his final two with Philadelphia.
In 1936, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The talented guitarist, blues singer and composer was something of an enigma until after his death in 1959. Recording under different names and labels with different artists, Willie Samuel McTell never saw much success during his lifetime though he produced a variety of sessions across several labels and was unquestionably gifted in each genre in which he performed.
[object HTMLBodyElement] The 39th president of the United States, James E. Carter served from 1977 to 1981 and earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his diplomacy and advocacy during his term.
Carter graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1946 and served as an officer for seven years before returning to Georgia and starting a family.
His political career began in 1962 when he entered state government. Then in 1974, he announced his presidential candidacy. He served one term with Walter Mondale as his Vice President.
Inspirational and motivational civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his dedicated work for the movement. The prize came two years after his historic “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington, D.C. for Jobs and Freedom.
King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Replacing the first, and currently the only African-American United State Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas has served on the court since 1991.
The conservative attorney would grab headlines during his hearings due to accusations of harassment but would be confirmed by the slimmest of margins by the Senate.
Julia Roberts’ star hit the big screen with Pretty Woman and never stopped shining. While she had earlier roles in films like Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias, her role with Richard Geer is the perennial favorite for romantic comedies. While she has an unquestionable talent for comedy, serious dramatic films fit her wheelhouse, too. Today, movie goers continue to fill the theaters when Julia Roberts is on the bill.
Selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, quarterback Cam Newton played college football at Auburn University. He earned the Heisman Trophy in 2010 and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the year in 2011. He’s been to the Pro Bowl three times and in 2015 earned the Bert Bell Award, NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award and NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Titan I Missile – Cordele Gold’n’Gem Grubbin – Cleveland
Giant Peanut Monument – Ashburn The Big House – Macon Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village and Discovery Center – Americus Pasaquan – Buena Vista The Tree that Owns Itself – Athens Rousakis Plaza Echo Square – Savannah A Century of Hats – Savannah Hindu Temple of Georgia – Fayetteville Warm Springs
On the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr Day honors the American clergyman, activist, Civil Rights Movement leader. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.(January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) is best known for his role in advancing civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism.
#MartinLutherKingJrDay
Education
A gifted and friendly student, King attended Morehouse College, earning a B.A. in sociology. Combining a passion for racial equality with a rediscovered spirituality, King then attended Crozer Theological Seminary, following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps earning a Bachelors of Divinity.
Shortly after completing his Ph.D. in theology at Boston University in 1955, a 42-year-old Rosa Parks (See Rosa Parks Day observed December 1st) refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The opportunity for the NAACP to bring their civil rights efforts to the forefront was before them, and they chose King to lead the successful city-wide boycott of the Montgomery transit system.
Young Civil Rights Movement
Just over a year later, King and over 60 other ministers and activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Together, they coordinated nonviolent protests and gave the young civil rights movement a voice.
Through the next twelve years, King would be influential in organizing marches, sit-ins, and political rallies for civil rights. For example, during a 1963 March on Washington, D.C. for Jobs and Freedom, King spoke before more than 200,000 regarding the challenges African Americans face. His “I Have a Dream” speech has gone down in many history books as one of the greatest speeches ever given. Brutally honest, with a call to action and a vision of hope, King’s speech resonated throughout the nation.
Selma
In early 1964, 1,500 men and women met a wall of state troopers during a march outside Selma. There, King led the marchers in prayer and avoided any confrontation with authorities. On July 2, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. That same year, King became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his unswerving work in the Civil Rights Movement.
In early 1965, Selma, Alabama, became the center of the Civil Rights movement. Congress introduced new voting rights legislation. It proposed banning literacy tests and mandating federal oversight where tests were administered. Additionally, it gave the U.S. attorney general the duty of challenging the use of poll taxes for state and local elections. Televised violence in February of that year resulted in the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson. King’s presence and President Johnson’s support of the marchers helped bring peace. Throughout the next month, marchers continued between Selma and Montgomery. Congress passed the Voting Rights Act in August of that year.
Author, speaker, father, theologian, activist, King died on April 4, 1968, when James Earl Ray assassinated him in Memphis, Tennessee. King arrived in Memphis with other SCLC members supporting a sanitation workers’ strike. They stayed at the Lorraine Motel, and Ray’s bullet struck King on the balcony. Riots and violence would follow, and President Johnson would call for peace, referring to King as the “apostle of nonviolence.”
HOW TO OBSERVE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY
Many schools, businesses, and government offices are closed during Martin Luther King Jr Day. However, schools hold programs or teach curricula engaging students in Civil Rights history and lessons throughout the week. Learn more about the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Watch one of the documentaries or read one of the books listed below:
King: A Filmed Record – Montgomery to Memphis.
The Children’s March
The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Clayborne Carson
Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference By David Garrow
Freedom’s Daughters by Lynne Olson
Use #MartinLutherKingJrDay to post on social media.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY HISTORY
While President Ronald Reagan signed the observance into law in 1983, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first observed as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986.
Martin Luther King Jr. FAQ
Q. Is Martin Luther King Jr. the only American honored with a federal holiday? A. No, but Martin Luther King Jr. is part of a select group of three men who have been honored with federal holidays. The other two are Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
Q. Was Martin Luther King Jr. awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? A. Yes. Martin Luther King Jr. became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Q. Was Martin Luther King Jr. a Freedom Rider? A. No, but King did show his support for the Freedom Riders in several ways. In 1961 during the Civil Rights Movement, a group of young Black and White college students took to riding interstate busses to force the issue of desegregation. Angry crowds often met these busses, attacking the Freedom Riders. At least 60 Freedom Rides were conducted throughout the South, affecting change that caused the Interstate Commerce Committee to enforce its ruling six years prior that denounced the separate but equal doctrine.
Baking up some goodness on June 12th each year, National Peanut Butter Cookie Day celebrates the only cookie holiday in June. The day allows cookie lovers and peanut butter lovers to step away from the pies and cakes to indulge in a little peanut butter and cookie therapy.
#NationalPeanutButterCookieDay
Alabama’s American agricultural extension educator, George Washington Carver, promoted the peanut extensively. Well-known for his promotions, Carver compiled 105 peanut recipes from various cookbooks, agricultural bulletins, and other sources. In 1916, he created a Research Bulletin called How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption. The bulletin included three recipes calling for crushed or chopped peanuts as one of its ingredients. However, peanut butter cookies were not one of them.
It was in the early 1920s peanut butter began to be listed as an ingredient in cookies.
Incidentally, The peanut butter we know and love today didn’t become commercially available until the 1920s. In 1922, Joseph Rosefield kept the peanut oil from separating from the solids through this process. Afterward, he patented the process of homogenization and sold it to a company that began making a peanut butter called Peter Pan.
No one knows why we press crisscrossed fork marks into our peanut butter cookies before baking. However, homemade peanut butter cookies would just not be the same without a bit of decoration.
HOW TO OBSERVE National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
The best way to celebrate this cookie holiday is with some homemade peanut butter cookies, a glass of milk, and a friend. Of course. We even have a couple of recipes for you to try. You can also visit your favorite baker and give them a shout-out, too. Let them know how much you appreciate their mad cookie baking skills!
Don’t forget to use #NationalPeanutButterCookieDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar is researching the origins of this delicious peanut cookie holiday. In the meantime, check out these other peanut-related holidays.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, opens. The town’s connection to baseball is based on a story about a Civil War general named Doubleday. According to lore, Abner Doubleday invented to sport there. While much of the story is now disputed, the nostalgia and history continue to grow there.
1963
Byron De La Beckwith murders the Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi.
1967
In Loving vs. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all anti-miscegenation laws remaining in sixteen U.S. states.
1987
While visiting Berlin, President Ronald Reagan gave a speech in which he spoke the now-famous line, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Two years later on November 9, 1989, East and West Berlin were reunited.
June 12th Celebrated Birthdays
George H.W. Bush – 1912
Serving first as vice president under Ronald Regan, George H. W. Bush took the oath of office as the 41st president and served one term. He and his son George W. Bush are the second father/son presidents in the history of the country. John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the first.
Anne Frank – 1929
Anne Frank moved generations with the words she recorded in her diary – the diary of a young Jewish girl. In 1942, just weeks after receiving a red checkered diary for her 13th birthday, Anne’s family and the families of her father’s employees were forced into hiding. While in hiding, Anne wrote every day in her diary. When she and her family were discovered, the Nazis’ separated and sent them to concentration camps. Her father would be the one family member to survive.
Jim Nabors – 1930
The American actor, singer and comedian is best known for his role as Gomer Pyle on the program The Andy Griffith Show.
Chick Corea – 1941
The American jazz musician began performing in the 1960s and has earned 65 Grammy nods during his career. In 1975, he won his first Grammy for the performance of No Mystery with the band he founded, Return to Forever.
Each year on April 21st, National Kindergarten Day honors the birthday of the man who started the first Kindergarten. Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel (April 21, 1782 – June 21, 1852) is credited with starting the very first Kindergarten in Germany in 1837. Frobel was a German teacher and a student of Johann Pestalozzi. Frobel laid a foundation for modern education, recognizing that children learn through play and experience.
#NationalKindergartenDay
The first kindergarten (which means garden for the children) was developed in Blankenburg, Germany, in 1837. The kindergarten fostered Frobel’s social experience for children. It also allowed them to smoothly transition from home to school.
Eventually, the Prussian government banned Frobel’s unorthodox methods. However, the rest of the world was eager to accept Frobel’s idea of kindergarten, including the United States.
In 1856, Watertown, Wisconsin, opened the first kindergarten in the United States. Founded by Margarethe Schurz, this kindergarten was a German-language class, as were many in this region. Kindergarten found its way into private English-speaking institutions across the country. However, it wasn’t until 1873 that it became part of any public school system.
National Kindergarten Day offers an opportunity to thank a kindergarten teacher you know. There are several ways to celebrate the day, too!
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY
Recognize an outstanding kindergarten teacher.
Explore a career in elementary education, specifically as a kindergarten teacher.
Learn more about elementary education.
Donate to a teacher’s supply fund.
Share your experiences as a kindergarten teacher.
Invite families to see how today’s students learn.
Share your kindergarten memories using #NationalKindergartenDay on Social Media.
NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY HISTORY
National Kindergarten Day honors the day Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel was born on April 21, 1782. However, we were unable to identify the founder of National Kindergarten Day.
Kindergarten FAQ
Q. Do kindergarten classes run half days or full days?
A. Most kindergarten classes today operate full days five days per week. However, in the past, the programs ran half days.
Q. How old are children when they begin kindergarten?
A. Most children begin kindergarten the year they turn five. However, children who are born later in the year often wait until the following year to begin. Schools provide parents with age guidelines.
April 21st Celebrated History
1962
President John F. Kennedy opens the Seattle World’s Fair via remote control from Palm Beach, Florida. The central feature of the fair was the 600 foot tall Space Needle. It included a revolving dining room and 360-degree viewing.
1977
Based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” by Harold Gray, Annie debuts on Broadway. Peter Howard directs the award-winning musical. It won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
1989
Chinese students protested in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The demonstrations called for democracy, free speech, and a free press from the Chinese government. The protest led to mass demonstrations and the Chinese government declared martial law.
April 21st Celebrated Birthday
Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel – 1782
The German student of Johann Pestalozzi is credited with laying the foundation for the modern kindergarten in Blankenburg, German.
Charlotte Bronte – 1816
In 1847, the English novelist published her most notable work, Jane Eyre.
John Muir – 1838
The naturalist and preservationist is best known for co-founding the Sierra Club. Through his efforts, natural treasures such as Yosemite, Sequoia, the Grand Canyon, and Mt. Rainier are protected as national parks.
Dorothy Baker – 1907
Author Dorothy Baker wrote three novels in her lifetime earning her a Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Queen Elizabeth II – 1926
On February 6, 1952, Elizabeth II succeeded her father King George VI following his death. She has four children; Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. She is the longest-reigning British monarch.
