• FREE SPEECH WEEK – Third Full Week in October

    FREE SPEECH WEEK

    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 – Third Week In September

    NATIONAL REHABILITATION AWARENESS WEEK

    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.

     

  • OCTOBER WEEK OBSERVANCES

    October National Weeks

  • October Weekly Observations

    Universal Children’s Week: 1-7 Sukkot: 1-9 World Dairy Expo: 7-12 (First Tues. – Sunday) No Salt Week: 3-10 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: 4-7 National Storytelling Weekend: 4-6 (1st Full Weekend) ? World Space Week: 4-10 Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend: 5-6 National Physicians Assistant Week: 6-12 Emergency Nurses Week: 5-11 (1st Full Week) Fire Prevention Week: 6-12 Great 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: 6-12 National 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: 7-13 Financial Planning Week: 6-12 (1st Mon-Sun Week) Kids’ Goal Setting Week: 7-11 Spinning & Weaving Week: 7-13 World Rainforest Week: 7-13 Take Your Medicine Americans Week: 10-16 Great American Beer Festival: 10-12 Bullying 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: 13-19 National 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: 13-19 YWCA Week Without Violence: 12-18 (Second Full Week) National School Lunch Week: 13-17 (Starts on 2nd Monday) YWCA Week Without Violence: 14-20 Food & 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) Link National Character Counts Week: 20-26 National Chemistry Week: 20-26 National 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: 20-26 National 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: 20-26 Red Ribbon Week: 19-25 (Last Week) Ally Week: 21-25 Kids 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: 21-25 Disarmament Week: 24-30 Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week: 24-30 Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week: 24-31 World Origami Days: 24-11/11 International Magic Week: 25-31 Give Wildlife a Brake! Week: 27-11/2
  • APRIL 21, 2023 | NATIONAL RENDERING DAY | NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY | NATIONAL YELLOW BAT DAY | NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET DAY | NATIONAL CHOCOLATE-COVERED CASHEWS DAY

    APRIL 21, 2023 | NATIONAL RENDERING DAY | NATIONAL KINDERGARTEN DAY | NATIONAL YELLOW BAT DAY | NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET DAY | NATIONAL CHOCOLATE-COVERED CASHEWS DAY

    National Rendering Day

    NATIONAL RENDERING DAY 

    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 | 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 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 | 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 | 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…

    On Deck for April 22, 2023

    National Days
    Celebrate Trails Day
    National Record Store Day
    National Jelly Bean Day
    National Girl Scout Leader’s Day
    National Earth Day

    Recipe of the Day

    EASY MARINARA SAUCE
    Prep: 5 minutes
    Cook: 15 minutes
    Total: 20 minutes
    Serves: 4

    Ingredients

    2 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes
    1 6-ounce can tomato paste
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
    1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

    Download Recipe Card

    Instructions

    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!

  • January 15, 2023 | NATIONAL HAT DAY | NATIONAL BAGEL DAY | NATIONAL BOOCH DAY | NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY

    January 15, 2023 | NATIONAL HAT DAY | NATIONAL BAGEL DAY | NATIONAL BOOCH DAY | NATIONAL STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM DAY

    National Hat Day | January 15
    National Hat Day | January 15

    NATIONAL HAT DAY

    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 | 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 | 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 | 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…

    On Deck for January 16, 2023

    National Days
    National Fig Newton Day
    National Nothing Day
    National Religious Freedom Day
    National Without a Scalpel Day
    Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Third Monday in January

    International Days
    INTERNATIONAL HOT AND SPICY FOOD DAY

    Recipe for the Day

    Jalapeno, Bacon & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese Sandwich

    Jalapeño, Bacon & Pepperjack Grilled Cheese Sandwich
    Prep time:
    Cook time: 
    Total:
    Servings: 1 Sandwich

    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!

  • NATIONAL GEORGIA DAY – August 3

    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 | 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

  • MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY – Third Monday in January

    MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY

    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.

  • NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DAY – June 12

    NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DAY | JUNE 12

    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!

    Chunky Peanut Butter Cookie
    Chocolate Swirl Peanut Butter Cookie

    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. 

    • Peanut Butter Lover’s Month
    • National Peanut Day
    • National Peanut Butter Day
    • Peanut Butter Lover’s Day
    • Peanut Month

      June 12th Celebrated History

      1939

      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.

  • 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.

    #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.
    • Spend a day in a classroom.
    • You can also visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects and ideas to help you Celebrate Every Day.
    • 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.