National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

In 2017, Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester from Montana introduced a resolution recognizing May 5, as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. It was in response to the murder of Hanna Harris on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and other abductions and killings of Native women across the […]

Burke Act (1906)

In 1906, the Burke Act was passed, which authorized the secretary of the interior to decide whether an Indian person was “competent” to manage his or her lands. If the Indian person was deemed “competent,” the secretary could take the land out of trust and the land would become taxable. The secretary of the interior […]

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War

By resolution 59/26 of 22 November 2004, the UN General Assembly declared 8–9 May as a time of remembrance and reconciliation and, while recognizing that Member States may have individual days of victory, liberation and commemoration, invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations System, non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe annually either one or both […]

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day, holiday in honour of mothers that is celebrated in countries throughout the world. In its modern form the holiday originated in the United States, where it is observed on the second […]

Yom Ha’Atzmaut 2024

Held on the fifth day of the Hebrew calendar month of Iyar, Yom Ha’atzmaut is a modern holiday celebrating Israel’s independence in 1948. Israeli Independence Day is always immediately preceded by Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day for the Fallen Israeli Soldiers. The message of linking these two days is clear: Israelis owe their independence -the very existence of the state - to the soldiers […]

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics. The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the […]

Malcolm X Day

“We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.” - Malcolm X For over 23 years, May 19th was a tremendous day in Anacostia Park. To celebrate pioneering civil rights activist Malcom X’s birthday, tens of thousands of people would come to the park. […]

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

In December 2002, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 57/249, declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and in 2015, the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution on Culture and Sustainable Development A/C.2/70/L.59, affirming culture’s contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable […]

Declaration of the Báb

On May 23, Baha’i's around the world will celebrate the holiday known as the Declaration of the Báb. It commemorates when the Báb announced in 1844 that he was the […]

Lag Bʾomer

Lag ba-ʿOmer, also spelled Lag Bʾomer or Lag Be-omer, minor Jewish observance falling on the 33rd day in the period of the counting of the ʿomer (“barley sheaves”); on this day semi-mourning ceases and weddings are allowed. The origin […]