National Nurses Day is celebrated annually on May 6 to raise awareness of the important role nurses play in society. It marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, which ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale.
“Advocating, leading, caring” – the slogan of the American Nursing Association (ANA).
©iStockphoto.com/AlexRaths
What do people do?
On National Nurses Day celebrations and receptions are held across the United States to honor the work of nurses. Among the most popular activities are banquets, state and city proclamations, and seminars. Many nurses receive gifts or flowers from friends, family members, or patients.
Public life
National Nurses Day and National Nurses Week are observances but they not a public holidays in the United States.
Background
May 12, the final day of National Nurses Week, is the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). The English nurse became known as the founder of professional nursing, especially due to her pioneering work during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Due to her habit of making rounds at night, Nightingale became known as “The Lady with the Lamp”.
National Nurses Week was first observed in October 1954, the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. May 6 was introduced as the date for the observance in 1982.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
People across the United States celebrate Flag Day on June 14 each year to honor the United States flag and to commemorate the flag’s adoption. On the same day, the United States Army celebrates its birthday.
Flag Day honors the United States flag.
©iStockphoto.com/ RiverNorthPhotography
What do people do?
Flag Day falls within National Flag Week, a time when Americans reflect on the foundations of the nation’s freedom. The flag of the United States represents freedom and has been an enduring symbol of the country’s ideals since its early days. During both events, Americans also remember their loyalty to the nation, reaffirm their belief in liberty and justice, and observe the nation’s unity.
Many people in the United States honor this day by displaying the American flag at homes and public buildings. Other popular ways of observing this holiday include: flag-raising ceremonies; Flag Day services; school quizzes and essay competitions about the American flag; musical salutes; street parades; and awards for special recognition.
Organizations such as The National Flag Day Foundation are actively involved in coordinating activities centered on the event and keeping the flag’s traditions alive. Following Flag Day is Honor America Days, a 21-day period through to Independence Day (July 4) to honor America. During this period, people hold public gatherings and activities to celebrate and honor the nation.
Public life
Although Flag Day is a nationwide observance, it is not a public holiday in many parts of the United States. It is a legal holiday in a few areas in the USA, such as Montour County in Pennsylvania.
Background
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress replaced the British symbols of the Grand Union flag with a new design featuring 13 white stars in a circle on a field of blue and 13 red and white stripes – one for each state. Although it is not certain, this flag may have been made by the Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross, who was an official flag maker for the Pennsylvania Navy. The number of stars increased as the new states entered the Union, but the number of stripes stopped at 15 and was later returned to 13.
In June 1886 Bernard Cigrand made his first public proposal for the annual observance of the birth of the flag when he wrote an article titled “The Fourteenth of June” in the old Chicago Argus newspaper. Cigrand’s effort to ensure national observance of Flag Day finally came when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of the event on June 14, 1916. However, Flag Day did not become official until August 1949, when President Harry Truman signed the legislation and proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day. In 1966, Congress also requested that the President issue annually a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as National Flag Week.
The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation to: call on government officials in the USA to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on Flag Day; and to urge US residents to observe Flag Day as the anniversary of the adoption on June 14, 1777, by the Continental Congress of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.
Symbols
The American flag, also nicknamed as “Old Glory” or “star-spangled banner”, has changed designs over the centuries. It consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars. Each of the 50 stars represent the 50 states in the United States and the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies that became the first states in the Union.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Father’s Day in the United States is on the third Sunday of June. It celebrates the contribution that fathers and father figures make for their children’s lives. Its origins may lie in a memorial service held for a large group of men, many of them fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in 1907.
Father’s Day is a day for fathers and father-like figures.
©iStockphoto.com/aldomurillo
What do people do?
Father’s Day is an occasion to mark and celebrate the contribution that your own father has made to your life. Many people send or give cards or gifts to their fathers. Common Father’s Day gifts include sports items or clothing, electronic gadgets, outdoor cooking supplies and tools for household maintenance.
Father’s Day is a relatively modern holiday so different families have a range of traditions. These can range from a simple phone call or greetings card to large parties honoring all of the ‘father’ figures in a particular extended family. Father figures can include fathers, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers and great-grandfathers and even other male relatives. In the days and weeks before Father’s Day, many schools and Sunday schools help their pupils to prepare a handmade card or small gift for their fathers.
Public life
Father’s Day is not a federal holiday. Organizations, businesses and stores are open or closed, just as they are on any other Sunday in the year. Public transit systems run to their normal Sunday schedules. Restaurants may be busier than usual, as some people take their fathers out for a treat.
Background and symbols
There are a range of events, which may have inspired the idea of Father’s Day. One of these was the start of the Mother’s Day tradition in the first decade of the 20th century. Another was a memorial service held in 1908 for a large group of men, many of them fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in December 1907.
A woman called Sonora Smart Dodd was an influential figure in the establishment of Father’s Day. Her father raised six children by himself after the death of their mother. This was uncommon at that time, as many widowers placed their children in the care of others or quickly married again.
Sonora was inspired by the work of Anna Jarvis, who had pushed for Mother’s Day celebrations. Sonora felt that her father deserved recognition for what he had done. The first time Father’s Day was held in June was in 1910. Father’s Day was officially recognized as a holiday in 1972 by President Nixon.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Independence Day is annually celebrated on July 4 and is often known as “the Fourth of July”. It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. Patriotic displays and family events are organized throughout the United States.
Independence Day is a patriotic holiday celebrated by Americans worldwide.
©iStockphoto.com/fstop123
Celebrate Independence Day
Independence Day is a day of family celebrations with picnics and barbecues, showing a great deal of emphasis on the American tradition of political freedom. Activities associated with the day include watermelon or hotdog eating competitions and sporting events, such as baseball games, three-legged races, swimming activities and tug-of-war games.
Many people display the American flag outside their homes or buildings. Many communities arrange fireworks that are often accompanied by patriotic music. The most impressive fireworks are shown on television. Some employees use one or more of their vacation days to create a long weekend so that they can escape the heat at their favorite beach or vacation spot.
Independence Day is a patriotic holiday for celebrating the positive aspects of the United States. Many politicians appear at public events to show their support for the history, heritage and people of their country. Above all, people in the United States express and give thanks for the freedom and liberties fought by the first generation of many of today’s Americans. The Statue of Liberty is a national monument that is associated with Independence Day.
Public life
Independence Day is a federal holiday. If July 4 is a Saturday, it is observed on Friday, July 3. If July 4 is a Sunday, it is observed on Monday, July 5. Government offices and schools are closed. Some businesses may be closed as well. In some years, many employees use a proportion of their vacation days to create a long weekend. This can cause congestion in some places, particularly towards popular holiday destinations.
There are many public events, parades, shows and fireworks displays. This may cause local disruption to traffic. Public transit systems do not usually operate on their regular timetables.
About Independence Day
In 1775, people in New England began fighting the British for their independence. On July 2, 1776, the Congress secretly voted for independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was first published two days later on July 4, 1776. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8, 1776. Delegates began to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. In 1870, Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, it became a paid holiday for them.
The first description of how Independence Day would be celebrated was in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations” throughout the United States. However, the term “Independence Day” was not used until 1791.
Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826 – exactly 50 years after the adoption of the declaration. It is also important to note that Native Americans lived in the country and each tribe had its own nation and government prior to the European settlers.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Parental figures in the United States receive the recognition for the role they play in their children’s lives on Parents’ Day. The day aims to promote responsible parenting and to recognize positive parental role models. It celebrates the special bonds of love between parental figures and their children.
Parents’ Day in the USA recognizes that responsible parenting is important in a family.
©iStockphoto.com/kali9
What do people do?
Parents’ Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday each year. Citizens, organizations, and federal, state, and local governmental and legislative entities are encouraged to recognize Parents’ Day through proclamations, activities, and educational efforts to recognize, uplift and support the role of parents in bringing up their children.
The Parents’ Day Council plays an active role in celebrating and promoting Parents’ Day through a range of events and activities. For example, the council honors “Parents of the Year” at local, state and national levels. Those who have been nominated or selected are people who exemplify the standard and ideal of positive parenthood. Exemplary parents from each state are nominated for “National Parents of the Year”.
Parents’ Day is a popular time for people to send cards and gifts, including flowers, cakes and food hampers, to those who play an important role as a positive parental figure in their lives. It is also a time for families to come together for lunches or dinners. Special tributes to parental figures who are seen as role models are made through local announcements, at church services, or at local community events. Parents’ Day proclamations and rallies have been held in recent times and involved organizations such as the United Civil Rights Councils of America.
Public life
Parents’ Day is a national observance but it is not a public holiday in the United States.
Background
Parents’ Day promotes the message that the role of the parent is important in human development, which requires investment, focus, and commitment. In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed into law a resolution adopted by the US Congress to establish the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents’ Day. This day is similar to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. According to the Congressional Resolution, Parents’ Day is established for “recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children” (cited in the National Parents’ Day Council website).
Symbols
Images of people engaged in active learning activities with their children are often used in photos, posters, paintings, stickers and sketches to promote Parents’ Day. Images of flowers are also used to promote the day. The messages that organizations try to portray through these images are that: commitment is a core family value; parental responsibilities are important to children’s growth and development; and that unconditional love is needed for a strong bond between parental figures and their children. Parental figures include biological, foster or step-parents.
External links
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Lyndon Baines Johnson Day is an annual state holiday in Texas in the United States on August 27. It celebrates the birthday of Lyndon Baines Johnson, popularly known as “LBJ”, who was the 36th president of the United States.
Lyndon Baines Johnson Day commemorates the life and work of the 36th president of the United States.
©iStockphoto.com/Maher
What do people do?
A range of special programs, events, and parties are held Lyndon Baines Johnson Day across Texas and other parts of the United States, such as Washington DC. On this day, many people remember famous speeches, including one about a “Great Society”, and the changes that took place across the nation during Johnson’s presidency.
Public life
Lyndon Baines Johnson Day is a partial staffing holiday in Texas so state government employees are entitled take a day off but state offices remain open with the required staff numbers. State offices are not closed on another day when designated holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday. Many public transport schedules do not change on Lyndon Baines Johnson Day in places such as Austin, Dallas, and Houston in Texas. However, those unsure of their schedules may need to contact the public transit centers.
Background
Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908. He is often known as “LBJ” and was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963-1969. In 1963 Johnson took on the role as the nation’s president after president John F Kennedy was assassinated. In an address before Congress Johnson pledged support for Kennedy’s legislative agenda that included civil rights and education legislation.
In conjunction with the civil rights movement, Johnson overcame southern resistance and convinced Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed many forms of racial segregation. Johnson signed it into law on July 2, 1964. In 1965, he achieved passage of a second civil rights bill, the Voting Rights Act to outlaw discrimination in voting and to allow many African Americans in the southern states to vote for the first time. In 1965 the “Great Society” program became the agenda for Congress:
- Aid to education.
- Protection of civil rights (including the right to vote).
- Urban renewal.
- Medicare.
- Conservation and beautification.
- Control and prevention of crime and delinquency.
- Promotion of the arts.
- Consumer protection.
Johnson was also known for escalating the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, which was opposed by many Americans.
After leaving the presidency in 1969, Johnson returned to Johnson City, Texas. During his retirement he wrote his memoirs called The Vantage Point, taught students and participated in a series of national symposia on the critical issues of modern America. Johnson died at his ranch on January 22, 1973, and is buried in the family cemetery at the LBJ Ranch near his birthplace. Shortly after his death, the Texas State Legislature created a legal state holiday to be observed every year on August 27 to honor Johnson. The holiday was first celebrated on August 27, 1973.
Symbols
Lyndon Baines Johnson’s 100th birthday was celebrated in 2008. The “Can-Do” centennial logo is used to commemorate Lyndon Baines Johnson Day and related events celebrating his 100th birthday. It features the number 100 with Johnson’s signature Resistol hat representing the second zero. The logo’s text reads “Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Celebration – Celebrating His Can-Do Spirit”. This slogan represents the leadership, commitment, and optimism of Johnson and his wife, Claudia, who was known as “Lady Bird” to her friends.
Many places have been named after Lyndon Baines Johnson, including the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland, and the LBJ Runway at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. LBJ also has been mentioned in popular culture through music and film.
External Links
Lyndon Baines Johnson Centennial Celebration: Celebrating His Can-Do Spirit
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Many families in the United States observe National Grandparents Day on the first Sunday of September after Labor Day. This day honors grandparents.
Forget-me-not flowers not only beautiful but they also symbolize National Grandparents Day in the United States.
©iStockphoto.com/Igor Rybiy
What do people do?
Many people honor their grandparents through a range of activities such as gift-giving, card-giving, and for children to invite their grandparents to school for a day where they participate in special lessons or special assembly programs. Many school students take part in story-telling activities that relate to their grandparents, as well as art or poster competitions where children often use a story about their grandparents in their artwork.
About four million greeting cards are sent within the United States each year on National Grandparents Day. This day is also an opportunity for people to appreciate and express their love to their grandparents through kind actions such as making a phone call or inviting their grandparents for dinner. People living in retirement villages or nursing homes may receive a visit from their grandchildren or loved ones on this day.
Public life
National Grandparents Day is an observance and not a public holiday in the United States.
Background
National Grandparents Day has more than one origin. Some people consider it to have been first proposed by Michael Goldgar in the 1970s after he visited his aunt in an Atlanta nursing home, Spending $11,000 of his own money in lobbying efforts to have the day officially recognized, he made 17 trips to Washington DC over a seven-year span to meet with legislators.
Others consider Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, a housewife in West Virginia, to have been the main driver for the day of observance. Throughout the 1970s McQuade worked hard to educate the people about the important contributions senior citizens made and the contributions that they would be willing to make if asked. She also urged people to adopt a grandparent, not for one day a year and not for material giving, but for a lifetime of experience.
In any event National Grandparents Day was finally signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. Marian McQuade received a phone call from the White House to advise her of this event. Many people believe that National Grandparents Day was inspired by her efforts. A presidential proclamation on September 6, 1979, made this day official – it designated Sunday, September 9, 1979, (being the “first Sunday of September following Labor Day”) as National Grandparents Day.
Each year the President is requested to issue a proclamation to: designate the first Sunday in September after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day; and to call on people, groups and organizations to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
Symbols
The official song of National Grandparents Day is “A Song for Grandma And Grandpa” by Johnny Prill. The official flower for the day is the “forget-me-not” flower.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Labor Day is annually held on the first Monday of September. It was originally organized to celebrate various labor associations’ strengths of and contributions to the United States economy. It is largely a day of rest in modern times. Many people mark Labor Day as the end of the summer season and a last chance to make trips or hold outdoor events.
Labor Day is a day of rest for many people.
©iStockphoto.com/mstahlphoto
What do people do?
Labor Day is a day of rest or the last chance for many people to go on trips before the summer ends. For students, it is the last chance to organize parties before school starts again. In some neighborhoods, people organize fireworks displays, barbecues and public arts or sports events. The football season starts on or around Labor Day and many teams play their first game of the year during Labor Day weekend.
Traditionally, people did not wear white clothes, particularly shoes, after Labor day. However, this custom is slowly dying out. More and more people now wear white all year round, rather than just in the summer. Similarly, it is the custom to wear a straw cowboy hat from Memorial Day until Labor Day, then a felt one until Memorial Day comes around again.
May 1 is Lei Day in Hawaii, where celebrations include lei-making competitions, concerts, as well as giving and receiving leis to friends and family.
Public life
Labor Day is a federal holiday. All Government offices, schools and organizations and many businesses are closed. Some public celebrations, such as fireworks displays, picnics and barbecues, are organized, but they are usually low key events. For many teams, it is the start of the football season. As it is the last chance for many people to take summer trips, there may be some congestion on highways and at airports. Public transit systems do not usually operate on their regular timetables.
Background
The first Labor Day was held in 1882. Its origins stem from the desire of the Central Labor Union to create a holiday for workers. It became a federal holiday in 1894. It was originally intended that the day would be filled with a street parade to allow the public to appreciate the work of the trade and labor organizations. After the parade, a festival was to be held to amuse local workers and their families. In later years, prominent men and women held speeches. This is less common now, but is sometimes seen in election years. One of the reasons for choosing to celebrate this on the first Monday in September was to add a holiday in the long gap between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
About Labor Day in other countries
Read more about Labor Day.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com
Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans refer Patriot Day as 9/11 or September 11.
Patriot Day remembers those who lost their lives during the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
©iStockphoto.com/Terraxplorer
What do people do?
On the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the whole world. The flag should be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to those who died on September 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time). This marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. Some communities, particularly in the areas directly affected by the attacks, hold special church services or prayer meetings. People who personally experienced the events in 2001 or lost loved ones in them, may lay flowers or visit memorials.
Public life
Patriot Day is not a federal holiday and schools and businesses do not close. Public transit systems run on their regular schedules. Some people and organizations may take some time out to hold prayers for the victims of the attacks, but these do not usually affect public life for more than a few minutes.
Background
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the planes into two important buildings, the Pentagon in Washington DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3000 people died in the attacks and the economic impact was immense.
The attacks have greatly increased attention to national security in the United States. This has had huge implications for United States national and international politics. This is particularly true for the relationships between the United States and Islamic countries in the Middle East.
Symbols
The most potent symbol of the events that happened on September 11, 2001 are pictures and videos of planes flying into buildings, of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center engulfed in smoke and later collapsing and of people falling from buildings. Pictures taken of damaged buildings and relatives looking for loved ones in the days and weeks after the attacks are also often shown. The flag of the United States is often displayed around images of the events on September 11, 2001. This is to remind Americans that their country remained strong in the face of massive terrorist attacks.
Patriot Day should not be confused with Patriot’s Day, also known as Patriots Day, which commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which were two of the earliest battles in the American Revolutionary War.
Courtesy of DateandTime.com