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. To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/13/presidential-proclamation-martin-luther-king-jr-federal-holiday-2012.

African-American History Month: Celebrated in February; 2012 National Theme: “Black Women in American Culture and History.” To view the 2012 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/31/presidential-proclamation-national-african-american-history-month-2012. For 2012 information from the Census Bureau, click on http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb12-ff01.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. 2012 National Theme is “Women’s Education – Women’s Empowerment.” To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/02/28/presidential-proclamation-womens-history-month-2011. Useful websites: http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/hotlists/women.html and, http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html. To read the 2011 Census Fact Sheet, click on http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff04.html. To read about the history of Women’s History Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womensintro1.html. For additional information related to women, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenshistory1.html.

Days of Remembrance/Jewish Heritage Month: normally celebrated in May. To view the 2010 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-jewish-american-heritage-month.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: Celebrated in May. 2011 National Theme: “Diversity, Leadership, Empowerment and Beyond.” To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/04/29/presidential-proclamation-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-m. 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 2011, go to http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff06.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. 2011 National Theme: “Pride Around the World.” To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/31/presidential-proclamation-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-pride-mon.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrated from September 15-October 15. 2011 National Theme: “Many Backgrounds, Many Stories … One American Spirit.” To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/15/presidential-proclamation-national-hispanic-heritage-month-2011. For the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features for the 2010 Hispanic Heritage Month, go to http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff17.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 2010 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. 2011 National Theme: “Service, Honor, Respect: Strengthening Our Cultures and Communities.” To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/01/presidential-proclamation-national-native-american-heritage-month-2011. For a Census Bureau’s Facts for Features for the 2011 statistics, click on http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff22.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 get additional information on the History of National American Indian Heritage Month, see http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihmorigins1.html. For the 2010 Wall Map, issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, click on http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-tps42.html.

Veterans. To get information on veterans issues from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, click on: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx . To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click on http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/03/presidential-proclamation-veterans-day-2011. To view the U.S. Census Bureau’s Facts for Features, click on http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff23.html. President Obama Administration Announces New Initiatives to Get Veterans Back to Work on November 7, 2011 – see http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/07/we-cant-wait-obama-administration-announces-new-initiatives-get-veterans.

Disability Employment Awareness Month: Celebrated in October. 2011 National Theme: Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities. To view the 2011 White House Proclamation, click http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/03/presidential-proclamation-national-disability-employment-awareness-month. The Census Bureau issued a 2011 Facts for Feature publication on the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which can be viewed http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff14.html.