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
Discover more with our February 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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.
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Discover more with our April 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Find out more with our May 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Explore more with our June 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Find out more with our July 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Discover more with our August 2021 Diversity Calendar
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Get The Diversity Calendar
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
Get The Diversity Calendar
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.