National Themes for Commemorative Months

To get a printed calendar of events for the Black, Women’s, Asian, Hispanic or American Indian Heritage Months, please call the Smithsonian Institution at 202 357-2700. To view the calendars online, click on http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. You can read the I Have a Dream speech by going to the I Have a Dream file.

African-American History Month: Celebrated in February; 2010 National Theme: “The History of Black Economic Empowerment.” To view the 2010 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-african-american-history-month. For 2010 information from the Census Bureau, click on http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014487.html. The Census Bureau released the first look at the African-American Population since Census 2000; to view it, go to http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-70.html. To view the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2004, click on http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-04.pdf. History of African-American History Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmintro1.html.

Women’s History Month: Celebrated in March. 2010 National Theme is “ Writing Women Back Into History.” To view the 2010 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-womens-history-month. Useful websites: http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/hotlists/women.html and, http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html. To read the 2010 Census Fact Sheet, click on http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014522.html . History of Women’s History Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensintro1.html. Additional information related to women, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenshistory1.html.

Days of Remembrance/Jewish Heritage Month: normally celebrated in May.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: Celebrated in May. 2009 National Theme: Leadership to Meet the Challenges of a Changing World. To view the 2009 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-Asian-American-And-Pacific-Islander-Heritage-Month/. For a history of this celebration, go to the AsianMonthHistory file. To view the Census Bureau’s Facts on the Asian/Pacific Islander Population for 2010, go to http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014602.html. To view the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2004, click on http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-05.pdf. History of Asian/Pacific Heritage Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/asianintro1.html. For additional information about Asians/Pacific Americans, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/asianhistory1.html.

Gay and Lesbian Pride Month: Celebrated in June. 2009 National Theme: “Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights.” To view the 2009 White Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrated from September 15-October 15. 2009 National Theme: Embracing the Fierce Urgency of Now! (which was submitted to the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers by Co-Chair Jorge E. Ponce) (For an explanation of the meaning of the national theme, click on National Theme 09). To view the 2009 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Hispanic-Heritage-Month/. For the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features for the 2009 Hispanic Heritage Month, go to http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013984.html. To review a list of resources on Hispanics prepared by the Census Bureau, go to http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hispanic.html, http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/NEWhispML1.html, and http://www.census.gov/csd/mwb/. Top 10 Law Schools for Hispanics, go to http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=45426. To get a list of the top Hispanic Schools in multiple areas, click on http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/rankings/top_schools/. For a listing of 2009 events at the Smithsonian Institution, go to http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/hhm/index.html, as well as the Calendar of Events directory at http://www.latinvip.com. To view the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2004, click on http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/acs-03.pdf. History of Hispanic Heritage Month, see http://latino.sscnet.ucla.edu/heritage/hhhispan.htm.

National American Indian Heritage Month: Celebrated in November. 2009 National Theme: Pride in our heritage with gratitude to our elders. To view the 2009 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-native-american-heritage-month. For a Census Bureau’s Facts for Features for the 2009 statistics, click on http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014346.html. For tribal listings and other information from the Census Bureau, click on http://www.ihs.gov/PublicAffairs/Heritage/index.cfm. For additional information, go to the Press and Public Affairs directory at http://www.ihs.gov/. To view the 2008 White House Proclamation, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/10/20081030-3.html. To get additional information on the History of National American Indian Heritage Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmorigins1.html.

Veterans. To get information on veterans issues, see: http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.htm and http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetsinfo.htm.

Disability Employment Awareness Month: Celebrated in October. 2009 National Theme: Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation. To view the 2009 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Disability-Employment-Awareness-Month/. The Census Bureau issued a 2009 Facts for Feature publication on the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which can be viewed at http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013739.html.