May is recognized as Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which commemorates the achievements and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
February is recognized as Black History Month, which commemorates the achievements and influence of African Americans in the United States.
Negro History Week, a precursor to Black History Month, was announced in the second week of February in 1926 by American historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This week was chosen as coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass - two key individuals in the advancement of African Americans. Black History Month was first celebrated by the black community at Kent State University in 1970, and soon became nationally celebrated across the nation under President Gerald Ford's recognition.
September 15 - October 15 is recognized as Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, which commemorates the achievements and influence of Hispanic Americans in the United States.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. This period is significant as is holds independence anniversaries for many Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile.
November is recognized as Native American History Month, which commemorates the achievements and influence of Native Americans in the United States.
One of the many proponents of an American Indian Day was Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the "First Americans", which was accepted and practiced for three years. In 1915 in Lawrence, Kansas, the second Saturday of each May was deemed as an American Indian Day. Various locations began to observe a similar day, but there was no national recognition. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations under different names have been issued since 1994.
March is recognized as Women's History Month, which commemorates the achievements and influence of women in the United States.
Women's History Month began as a week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own commemorative weeks. After much lobbying and advocating for national recognition, presidents since 1995 have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”
