Diversity calendar

August 2026

National Black Business Month, a time to recognize and support Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.

Happiness Happens Month is celebrated annually in August. It is dedicated to celebrating things that make you happy. It’s a known fact that happiness is contagious, and sharing your happiness can bring a smile to someone’s face. The month reminds us that happiness can be found in even little things that we might not notice, and that spreading the same joy amongst others can help make the world a better place.

August 1 • Lughnasadh
This official Irish holiday and Gaelic festival marks the beginning of the important harvest season. During this time, grains are gathered to bake bread, and fruits are preserved to be canned and used for the rest of the year.

August 9 • International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
Celebrates the richness of indigenous cultures and recognizes the challenges indigenous peoples face today, ranging from poverty and disease to dispossession, discrimination, and denial of basic human rights.

August 28 • Raksha Bandhan
A Hindu holiday commemorating the loving kinship between a brother and sister. “Raksha” means “protection” in Hindi and symbolizes the longing a sister has to be protected by her brother. During the celebration, a sister ties a string around her brother’s (or brother-figure’s) wrist and asks him to protect her. The brother usually gives the sister a gift and agrees to protect her for life.

August 17 • Marcus Garvey Day
The birthday of the Jamaican politician and activist who is revered by Rastafarians. Garvey is credited with starting the Back to Africa movement, which encouraged those of African descent to return to the land of their ancestors during and after slavery in North America.

August 19 • World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day is commemorated every year on 19 August to pay tribute to humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work, and to honor all aid and health workers who continue to provide life-saving support and protection to people most in need. The Day highlights the importance, effectiveness, and positive impact of humanitarian work.

August 21 • Senior Citizen Day
Recognizes the many contributions older adults make in communities across the United States.

August 23 • International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
The day is observed to recognize the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade and its consequences.

August 26 • Women’s Equality Day
This important day marks the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibits states and the federal government from preventing women from voting. In 1972, President Nixon issued the Proclamation for the first official Women’s Equality Day.

August 31 • International Day of People of African Descent
A day designated by the United Nations to celebrate the contributions, achievements, and cultural heritage of people of African descent worldwide. It aims to combat racial discrimination and raise awareness of the challenges they face in society.

Disability Pride Month: Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed in 1990, we celebrate Disability Pride Month annually in July. It's a time for people living with disabilities to honor their many unique talents and skills.

French-American Month: This month celebrates the history between France and the United States and celebrates the contributions of French Americans to society

July 1 • Canada Day, or Fête du Canada, is a Canadian federal holiday that celebrates the 1867 enactment of the Constitution Act, which established the three former British colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as a united nation called Canada.

July 2 • Thurgood Marshall’s Birthday: Thurgood Marshall was the nation’s first Black Supreme Court Justice. In addition to being a justice, Marshall was also a well-known civil rights activist.

July 4 • Independence Day (also known as the Fourth of July), a United States federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The original 13 American colonies declared independence from Britain and established themselves as a new nation known as the United States of America.

July 6 • Dalai Lama’s Birthday: Happy birthday to the 14^th Dalai Lama, the most famous Buddhist teacher in the world. The Dalai Lama is widely respected for his commitment to both nonviolence and Tibetan freedom. He was awarded the 1989 Peace Prize for advocating for solutions based on tolerance and mutual respect. Despite being exiled from Tibet, he has continually sought to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people.

July 9-10 (sundown to sundown) • The Martyrdom of the Bab, a day when Bahá’ís observe the anniversary of the Báb’s execution in Tabriz, Iran, in 1850.

July 11 • World Population Day, an observance established in 1989 by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Program. The annual event is designed to raise awareness of global population issues.

July 14 • International Non-Binary People’s Day, aimed at raising awareness and organizing around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world while celebrating their contributions.

July 14 • Bastille Day, a French federal holiday that commemorates the Storming of the Bastille, a fortress prison in Paris that held political prisoners who had displeased the French nobility. The Storming of the Bastille, which took place on July 14, 1789, was regarded as a turning point of the French Revolution. Celebrations are held throughout France.

July 15 • St. Vladimir of the Great Day, a feast day for St. Vladimir celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.

July 18 • Nelson Mandela International Day, launched on July 18, 2009, in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday via unanimous decision of the U.N. General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices: “It is in your hands now.” It is more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy; it is a global movement to honor his life’s work and to change the world for the better.

July 22 • Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the month of Av, is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, on which observers fast, deprive themselves and pray. It is the culmination of the Three Weeks, a period of time during which we mark the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

July 24 • Pioneer Day, observed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to commemorate the arrival in 1847 of the first Latter-day Saint pioneers in Salt Lake Valley.

July 25 • St. James the Greater Day, a feast day for St. James the Greater celebrated by some Christian denominations.

July 26 • Disability Independence Day, celebrating the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH
Established in 2014 to give people across the United States an opportunity to annually explore their heritage and celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of America. It celebrates immigrants across the United States and their contributions to their local communities and economy.

LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH
A month to promote and celebrate the dignity, equality, visibility, and empowerment of the LGBTQIA+ community. June 28th is the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in which police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, which sparked protests around the country for equal treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community.

CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
National Caribbean-American Month is celebrated every June to honor America’s rich and diverse culture, which includes the Caribbean-American population. People from this community have not only evolved the American culture but have also contributed greatly to the development of the nation in areas of science and medicine

June 2 • NATIVE AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP DAY
The Indian Citizenship Act was enacted by Congress on June 2, 1924, and granted citizenship to all Indigenous peoples born in the United States. However, this community was not given the right to vote until 1957.

June 6 • D-DAY
D-Day was the name given to the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. France at the time was occupied by the armies of Nazi Germany, and the amphibious assault—codenamed Operation Overlord—landed some 156,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches of Normandy by the end of the day.

June 12 • LOVING DAY
An observation of the anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court decision, Loving v. Virginia, which ended bans on interracial marriage.

June 14 • RACE UNITY DAY
Started by the Bahá’í National Spiritual Assembly in the United States to raise awareness of the importance of racial harmony and understanding. It is celebrated on the second Sunday in June.

June 14 • FLAG DAY
The anniversary of the adoption of the United States flag by Congress in 1777.

June 16 • ISLAMIC NEW YEAR
Also known as the Muslim New Year or Hijri New Year, the year 1448 AH will begin on June 16, 2026 according to the Gregorian calendar. The Islamic New Year is a public holiday in over 24 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the UAE, and parts of Africa.

June 19 • JUNETEENTH
Commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas in 1865. It is widely celebrated throughout the United States to honor African-American freedom and achievement.

June 20 • WORLD REFUGEE DAY
An international observance dedicated to raising awareness of the situations of refugees throughout the world.

June 21 • FATHER’S DAY
A celebration honoring people's fathers and celebrating the fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in their society.

June 21 • SUMMER SOLSTICE
The summer solstice marks the official start of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year.

June 25 • ASHURA
The Day of Ashura is one of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar, steeped in profound historical and spiritual meaning. It falls on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar year. The term ‘ashura’ comes from the Arabic word for ‘ten,’ marking its position in the month. Ashura in the United States is expected to be observed on June 25 or 26, 2026, depending on the sighting of the new moon for the Islamic month of Muharram.

June 28 • STONEWALL REBELLION
June 28, 1969, marked the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQ+ protesters that stretched over six days. The Stonewall Rebellion served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

Older Americans Month
Established in 1963 to honor the legacies and contributions of older Americans and to support them as they enter their next stage of life

Asian American and Pacific-Islander Heritage Month commemorates the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and marking the anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants.

Jewish American Heritage Month recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture. On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania urging the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions were passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.

Mental Health Awareness Month aims to raise awareness, educate the public about mental illnesses, and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses.

May 1 • INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
Also known as May Day, it celebrates the social and economic achievements of workers worldwide. The day commemorates the Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago, in which police and protesters clashed following a workers’ strike for an eight-hour workday.

May 5 • CINCO DE MAYO
A Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867).

May 10 • MOTHER’S DAY
Children of all ages show appreciation for their mothers and mother figures.

May 15 • MALCOLM X DAY
The commemoration of the civil rights leader is recognized on either the third Friday in May or May 19th, which is Malcolm X’s birthday. The state of Missouri made this day an official holiday in 2019.

May 16 • ARMED FORCES DAY
Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. Thanks to President Harry S. Truman, it’s a day to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces. President Truman led the effort to establish a holiday for citizens to unite and honor our military heroes for their patriotic service in support of the United States of America.

May 17 • INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA, AND BIPHOBIA
Aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.

May 21 • WORLD DAY FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Recognizes cultural diversity as a source of innovation, exchange, and creativity, as well as the obligation to create a more peaceful and equitable society based on mutual respect.

May 21 • SHAVUOT
A two-day holiday (celebrated from sunset on May 21, 2026, until nightfall on May 23, 2026) coincides with the date that God gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai more than 3,000 years ago.

May 25 • AFRICAN LIBERATION DAY
African Liberation Day, aka Africa Day, is an annual celebration of African sovereignty, independence, and African identity. African states founded the Organization of African Unity and sought collaboration and co-existence with neighboring countries that had also recently driven away their colonizers.

May 25 • MEMORIAL DAY
A federal holiday in the United States to remember the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.

May 26 • EID AL ADHA
Eid al-Adha takes place to celebrate the completion of Hajj, the fifth and final pillar of Islam. Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca and its surrounding holy grounds, occurring in the final month of the lunar Islamic calendar.

May 31 • VESAK
Also known Buddha Day, it marks the birth, spiritual awakening and death (nirvana) of the historical Buddha. Buddhists celebrate Vesak by decorating their temples with flowers and other decorations. They gather at these temples before dawn for the raising of the Buddhist flag while singing hymns. Buddhists are also allowed to bring simple offerings to lay at the feet of their teacher. (This date may vary based on region or sect.)

Celebrate Diversity Month
A month to recognize and honor the diversity surrounding us all by celebrating differences and similarities

Autism Awareness Month
Throughout the month, we focus on sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, fostering worldwide support. This year, we are committed to standing together to make a world of difference for people on the spectrum.

Arab-American Heritage Month
Established to celebrate Arab-American heritage and culture and pay tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans.

Scottish-American Heritage Month
Highlights Scottish heritage and remembers the Scottish-Americans who have had an impact on U.S. society.

National Minority Health Month
A time to raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minority populations and encourage action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications.

April 1 - April 9 Passover (Pesach)
Passover is an eight-day Jewish holiday and festival in commemoration of the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

April 2 World Autism Awareness Day
A day of celebration of people with autism and those who love and support them around the globe.

April 3 Good Friday
The Friday before Easter Sunday, on which the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is commemorated in the Christian Church. It is traditionally a day of fasting and penance.

April 5 Easter
A Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

April 7 World Health Day
Celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

April 11 Day of Silence
Students take a day-long vow of silence to protest the actual silencing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning students and their allies through bias and harassment.

April 14 Vaisakhi
Marks the Sikh New Year and celebrates the spring harvest.

April 15 Jackie Robinson Day
A traditional event that occurs annually on April 15 in Major League Baseball, commemorating and honoring the day Jackie Robinson made his major league debut. Celebrated at MLB ballparks, on that one day, all players, coaches, and managers on both teams and the umpires wear Robinson's uniform number, 42. April 15 was Opening Day in 1947, Robinson's first season in the major leagues.

April 22 Earth Day
A day to promote world peace, sustainability, and responsibility for the planet. Events are held globally to show support for the environmental protection of the Earth.

April 24-25 Gathering of Nations
More than 500 Native American tribes meet to celebrate their traditions and cultures. The 2026 event will be the final Gathering of Nations.

Women’s History Month
In 1987, the United States Congress declared March to be National Women’s History Month to commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American History.

Irish-American Heritage Month
A month for honoring the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
A time to raise awareness about the inclusion of people who live with developmental disabilities, as well as awareness of the barriers that this population still experience.

March 2 Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman, as it is recounted in the Book of Esther

March 5 Crispus Attucks Day
Crispus Attucks, a sailor of mixed African and Indigenous ancestry, died in Boston on March 5, 1770, after British soldiers fired two musket balls into his chest.1 His death and that of four other men at the hands of the 29th Regiment became known as the Boston Massacre. Death instantly transformed Attucks from an anonymous sailor into a martyr for a burgeoning revolutionary cause.

March 8 International Women’s Day
Celebration of women's economic, political, and social achievements worldwide.

March 10 Harriet Tubman Day
An American holiday in honor of the abolitionist, humanitarian, and women’s suffragist, Harriet Tubman.

March 17 St Patrick’s Day
Although the holiday originally started as a Christian feast day celebrating the life of St. Patrick and the spreading of Christianity to Ireland, today, it is a day of revelry and a celebration of all things Irish.

March 19 Ramadan Ends
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. It commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad, making it one of the most sacred months in Islam.

March 20 Vernal Equinox
Marks the first day of spring. The sun shines nearly equally on both hemispheres when it’s spring in the Northern Hemisphere and simultaneously falls in the Southern Hemisphere.

March 20 Nowruz
A traditional ancient Iranian festival celebrating the first day of Spring and the Iranian New Year. Also celebrated as New Year’s Day in Baha’i tradition (Naw-Ruz). (This date may vary based on region or sect.)

March 20 Eid al-Fitr
Marks the end of Ramadan

March 21 International Day For The Elimination Of Racial Discrimination
Call to action to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination worldwide.

March 25 International Day Of Remembrance Of The Victims Of Slavery And The Transatlantic Slave Trade
A day established by the United Nations in 2007 to honor an international commitment to confront the “causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice."

March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day
The day commemorates the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans and their families and is part of a national effort to recognize the men and women who were denied a proper welcome upon returning home more than 50 years ago.

The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, signed into law in 2017, designates March 29 of each year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

March 31 Cesar Chavez Day
Honors Mexican American farm worker, labor leader, and activist Cesar Chavez (1927–1993) who was a nationally respected voice for social justice.

March 31 International Transgender Day Of Visibility
An annual event to celebrate transgender and non-binary people and raise awareness of the discrimination and violence experienced by individuals within these respective communities.

Black History Month
A time to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans and recognize the central role they have played in United States history.

National Freedom Day February 1
On this date in 1865, President Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery. The day was first advocated for by Major Richard Robert Wright Sr. who was born into slavery and freed after the Civil War.

Laylat Al-Bara’ah February 2-3
This day commemorates for Muslims when God descends from heaven and forgives the people of their sins.

National Women’s Physicians Day February 3
This day marks the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. Dr. Blackwell initiated the movement that helped women gain entry and equality in medicine.

Four Chaplains Day February 3
Four Chaplains Day is celebrated on February 3 every year in recognition of four Army chaplains who acted in the spirit of heroic sacrifice and humanitarianism onboard a sinking ship.

Rosa Parks Day February 4
By refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus in 1955, black seamstress Rosa Parks helped initiate the civil rights movement in the United States. The leaders of the local black community organized a bus boycott that began the day Parks was convicted of violating segregation laws. Led by a young Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted more than a year—during which Parks not coincidentally lost her job—and ended only when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. Over the next half-century, Parks became a nationally recognized symbol of dignity and strength in the struggle to end entrenched racial segregation.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day February 5
February 5 marks the annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). This celebration inspires girls and women to play and be active, to realize their full power. The confidence, strength, and character gained through sports participation are the very tools girls and women need to become strong leaders in sports and life.

Valentine's Day February 14
St. Valentine’s Day, is a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus. Typically associated with romantic love and celebrated by people expressing their love via gifts.

Frederick Douglass Day February 14
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, becoming famous for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings

Nirvana February 15
Parinirvana Day (or Nirvana Day) commemorated Buddha’s death at the age of 80, when he reached the zenith of Nirvana.

Susan B. Anthony Day February 15
Susan B. Anthony is one of the most famous women involved in the suffrage movement. She was also an advocate for temperance, labor rights, equal pay for equal work, and abolition. Continue Anthony’s work by volunteering with a local women’s rights organization.

Presidents Day February 16
Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who was the first U.S. president.

Since George Washington, who was born on February 22, shared a birth month with Abraham Lincoln, who was born on February 12, the holiday informally became a more general celebration of the country’s founding fathers.

Ramadan begins February 17
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. It commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad, making it one of the most sacred months in Islam.

Losar February 18
Losar is Tibetan New Year and marks the start of the Tibetan year which is based on a 12-month lunar calendar. The day it falls on is very close to the date of the Chinese New Year. The date each year is determined by astrologers based in Dharmsala, India.

World Day of Social Justice February 20
World Day of Social Justice is an international day recognizing the need to promote social justice, which includes efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections.

January 1 New Year's Day
New Year’s Day, the first day of the year according to the modern Gregorian calendar, is celebrated in most Western countries.

January 2 Saint Basil's Day
A holiday observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Saint Basil the Great.

January 3 Mahayana New Year
A holiday celebrated by the Mahayana Buddhist branch, on the first full moon day in January.

January 4 World Braille Day
Observed to raise awareness of the importance of braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights of blind and partially sighted people. Celebrated on Louis Braille’s birthday, the inventor of braille.

January 5 George Washington Carver Day
A day to honor George Washington Carver, a Black American agricultural scientist and inventor who was integral to the development of alternative crops and methods to prevent soil depletion.

January 5 Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Birthday
The Tenth Guru of the Sikhs who initiated the Sikhs as the Khalsa (the pure ones) and is known as the Father of the Khalsa.

January 5 Twelfth Night
A festival celebrated by some branches of Christianity that marks the coming of the Epiphany.

January 6 Epiphany
(Three Kings Day), a holiday observed by Eastern and Western Christians that recognizes the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus 12 days after his birth.

January 9 National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
A day to show appreciation and support for law enforcement professionals.

January 14 Makar Sankranti
A major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India.

January 16 National Religious Freedom Day
Commemorates the day the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was signed, guaranteeing the fundamental freedom to openly practice one's faith without fear of being harassed, jailed, or killed.

January 18 World Religion Day
Observed by those of the Bahá’í faith to promote interfaith harmony and understanding.

January 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Commemorates the birth of Martin Luther King Jr., the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and an activist for nonviolent social change until his assassination in 1968.

January 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day
This day remembers the victims of the Holocaust and is set on the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in 1945 as well as the UN's Holocaust Memorial Day.