Black History Month
2/11 – LGBTQ+: Tammy Baldwin – birthday of first openly LGBTQ+ Senator and Congressperson
2/12 – Chinese New Year – three-day festivity, beginning the Year of the Ox
2/14 – Black American: Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) – birthday of renowned abolitionist, who helped free the slaves
2/15 – Buddhist: Parinirvana or Nirvana Day – remembers Buddha’s passing in 483 BC and his final nirvana
2/15 – Women: Susan B. Anthony – birthday of advocate for women’s right, who helped women gain the right to vote
2/17 – Christian: Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting for 40 days until Easter Sunday
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Women’s History Month – honors our nation’s women and their accomplishments
3/8 – Women: International Women’s Day – began in 1910 to advocate for greater women’s rights, particularly the right to vote
3/10 – Black American: Harriet Tubman – leader of the Underground Railroad, she helped slaves escape to freedom
3/17 – Irish: St Patrick’s Day – marks the birthday of this Irish saint, who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle
3/21 – United Nations: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
3/27 – Jewish: Passover – start of holiday, commemorating the freeing of Israeli slaves in Egypt
3/28 – Hindu: Holi – celebrates the winter harvest, and the coming of spring
For more religious holidays, see our 2021 Interfaith Calendar.
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Celebrate Diversity Month – launched in 2004, seeks to help diverse people gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other
4/2 – People with Disabilities: World Autism Awareness Day – seeks to improve the lives of people with the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives
4/4 – Christian: Easter – a key holy day in the #1 most-practiced faith, it honors the resurrection of Jesus
4/8 – Buddhist: Buddha’s Birth – royalty who became a spiritual leader and launched Buddhism, one of the most popular religions
4/12 – Islamic: Ramadan – first day of Islam’s most sacred month, during which Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink from dawn until dusk
4/22 – International: Earth Day – celebrated internationally in more than 192 countries
4/22-24 – Native American: Gathering of Nations – more than 500 Native American tribes meet to celebrate their traditions and cultures
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Mental Health Awareness Month – raises awareness of people with mental or behavioral health issues, and seeks to reduce their stigma
Older Americans Month – celebrates the accomplishments of older citizens
Jewish American Heritage Month – recognizes the history of American Jews, and their valuable contributions to society
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
5/5 – Mexican American: Cinco de Mayo – commemorates Mexico’s defeat of the French army, observed primarily by Mexican Americans
5/17 – LGBTQ+: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia – raises awareness of LGBT rights, commemorated in more 132 countries
5/19 – Black American/Muslim: Malcolm X – birthday of the civil rights leader
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LGBT Pride Month
Caribbean American Heritage Month – recognizes the importance of Caribbeans in the history and culture of the United States.
6/2 – Native Americans: Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
6/12 – Black American: Loving Day – anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, ending bans on interracial marriage
6/14 – Puerto Rican: Puerto Rican Day Parade – festivities are planned across the country, to celebrate Puerto Ricans’ accomplishments and contributions
6/19 – Black American: Juneteenth – commentates the liberation of slaves in Texas, and celebrated nationwide
6/27 – People With Disabilities: Helen Keller – birthday of the pioneer in advocating for those with disabilities
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7/2 – Black American: Thurgood Marshall – birthday of the civil rights leader and first Black Supreme Court justice
7/6 – Tibetan: 14th Dalai Lama – marks the birth of Tibet’s leader in exile, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient
7/6 – Women, Mexican: Frida Kahlo – birthday of painter, one of the best-known artists of the 20th century
7/17 – Islamic: The Hajj – annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, required by all able Muslims at least once in their lifetime
7/18 – South African: Nelson Mandela – birthday of civil rights leader, and South Africa’s first black president
7/24 – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Pioneer Day – official holiday celebrated in Utah, marking the arrival of founder Brigham Young in the Salt Lake area
7/26 – Americans with Disabilities Act – outlawed discrimination against people with disabilities
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August Ethnic Calendar
8/4 – Black American: Barack Obama – first Black President of the United States
8/9 – United Nations: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, celebrates unique cultures of indigenous peoples worldwide
8/10 – Islamic: Al-Hijri (New Year) – begins the prior evening
8/15 – Roman Catholic: Feast of the Assumption – celebrating the belief of the entry into heaven of the Virgin Mary
8/24 – People with Disabilities: Marlee Matlin – birthday of the only hearing-impaired actor to win the Oscar for best actor/actress
8/26 – Women’s Equality Day – commemorates US women gaining the right to vote
8/30 – Hindu: Janmashtami (Birth of Lord Krishna) – one of the great Hindu festivals, celebrating popular deity
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National Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15 to 10/15)
National Recovery Month – increases awareness of substance abuse disorders and celebrates recovery
9/6-9/9 Jewish: Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year, a time for reflecting on the past year, and the year to come
9/10 Hindu: Ganesh Chaturthi – festivities in praise of this elephant-headed deity
9/22 Autumnal Equinox – a time for various religious observances worldwide
9/20 Women: HeForShe – promotes gender equality, initiated by the United Nations
Learn more with our September 2021 Diversity Calendar
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Global Diversity Awareness Month – promotes knowledge of and respect for different cultures
National Disability Employment Awareness Month – advocates for people with disabilities, and their full inclusion in the workforce
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Polish-American Heritage Month
10/10 – People with Disabilities: World Mental Health Day – promotes mental health education and awareness, and advocacy against social stigma
10/11 – United States: Indigenous Peoples’ Day – celebrates the indigenous peoples of North America
10/21 – LGBTQ+: Spirit Day – observers wear purple to support LGBTQ youth and prevent bullying
Learn more with our October 2021 Diversity Calendar
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November 2021 Multicultural Holidays
Native American Heritage Month
Movember- raises awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s suicide
10/31-11/2 – All Saints Day/All Souls Day/Día de los Muertos – Christian holidays, and the Mexican/Aztec descendent thereof
11/4 – Hindu: Diwali – a key Hindu celebration, in praise of diverse deities
11/16 – United Nations: International Day for Tolerance – promotes respect for diverse religions, languages, cultures, and ethnicities
11/16 – Dutch American Heritage Day
11/20 – LGBTQ+: Transgender Day of Remembrance – memorialize those murdered as a result of transphobia
11/28 – 12/6 – Jewish: Hanukkah – honors the Jewish triumph over Syrian Greeks and Jewish independence
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2021 Diversity Calendar for December
12/1 – World AIDS Day – increase education and awareness of AIDS
12/3 – United Nations: International Day of Persons with Disabilities – promotes the dignity, rights, and well-being of people with disabilities
12/10 – United Nations – International Human Rights Day
12/16-12/24 – Mexico: Las Posadas – commemorates events associated with the birth of Jesus
12/21 – Winter Solstice/Yule – the Pagan and Wiccan winter sabbat
12/25 – Christian: Christmas – celebrates the birth of Jesus, the Christian messiah
12/26 – Black: Kwanzaa (12/26-1/1) – inspired by African harvest celebrations
We hope you’ve found our year-long diversity calendar fun and informative. To find out more, see our 2021 Interfaith Calendar. To discover more diversity events, inclusion tips and more, see our Diversity Calendar Suite.
