Heritage Months and Cultural Recognitions
Northwestern is proud to honor our diverse community by commemorating national heritage months, days, and cultural acknowledgements throughout the year. These observances provide us with an opportunity to delve into the rich historical, cultural, and social dimensions of various identities, while amplifying voices that have often been marginalized. In addition to celebrating, programs and events throughout the year aim to educate others on various group’s histories and the many contributions to American society.
Heritage Months:
Our website is the central hub to view University programming for Heritage Months/identity-based recognitions for faculty, staff, and students. This allows our NU community to view all the events and programming happening across the University for a specific month (or day) in a central location – along with Planit Purple.
Submit Your Event
Annual Diversity Calendar
It is important to note the calendar items included is not time-limited and the communities acknowledged should be recognized for their contributions daily. Download a pdf version of the 2024 Diversity Calendar.
January
January Observances
| All Month |
Muslim American Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Poverty Awareness Month |
| Third Sunday in January |
World Religion Day |
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| January 1 |
Global Family Day/World Peace Day |
| January 4 |
World Braille Day |
| January 15 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day |
| January 27 |
International Holocaust Remembrance Day |
February
February Observances
| All Month |
Black History Month |
| February 10 |
Lunar New Year |
| February 14 |
St. Valentine's Day |
| February 14 |
Ash Wednesday |
| February 20 |
World Day of Justice |
March
March Observances
| All Month |
National Women's History Month |
| All Month |
Ethnic Equality Month |
| All Month |
Gender Equality Month |
| All Month |
National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month |
| March 8 |
International Women's Day |
| March 8 |
United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace |
| March 10 |
Ramadan |
| March 11 |
World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film |
| March 14 |
Equal Pay Day |
| March 21 |
Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year) |
| March 21 |
World Down Syndrome Day |
| March 25 |
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade |
| March 31 |
Easter |
April
April Observances
| Month |
Earth Month |
| All Month |
Autism Awareness Month |
| All Month |
Arab-American Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Community Service Month |
| All Month |
National Deaf History Month |
| All Month |
Celebrate Diversity Month |
| April 2 |
World Autism Awareness Day |
| April 7 |
International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda |
| April 20 |
First Day of Ridvan—Festival of Ridvan |
| April 22 |
Passover |
| April 22 |
Earth Day |
| April 26 |
Administrative Professionals Day |
| April 28 |
The Ninth Day of Ridvan, |
May
May Observances
| All Month |
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Haitian Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Indian Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Jewish Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Mental Health Month |
| All Month |
South Asian Heritage Month |
| All Month |
Speech and Hearing Awareness Month |
| All Month |
Personal History Awareness Month |
| All Month |
Older Americans Month |
| May 1 - May 2 |
The Twelfth Day of Ridvan |
| May 5 |
Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) |
| May 5 |
Cinco de Mayo |
| May 8 |
Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for those who Lost their Lives during WWII |
| May 21 |
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development |
| May 22 |
International Day for Biological Diversity |
| May 28 |
Memorial Day |
June
June Observances
| All Month |
National Caribbean American Heritage Month |
| All Month |
LGBTQ Pride Month |
| All Month |
Black Music Month |
| June 12 |
Loving Day |
| June 14 |
Race Unity Day |
| June 19 |
Juneteenth |
| June 28 |
LGBT Pride Day |
July
July Observances
| All Month |
French American Heritage Month |
| July 11 |
World Population Day |
| July 26 |
Americans with Disabilities Act Signed "Disability Independence Day |
August
August Observances
| All Month |
National Civility Month |
| August 9 |
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People |
| August 13 |
International Left-handers Day |
| August 19 |
World Humanitarian Day |
| August 23 |
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition |
| August 26 |
Women's Equality Day |
September
September Observances
| September 15 - October 15 |
Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month |
| September 2 |
Labor Day |
| September 11 |
Patriot Day |
| September 15 |
International Day of Democracy |
| September 16 |
Mexican Independence Day |
| September 21 |
International Day of Peace |
| September 27 |
World Tourism Day |
October
October Observances
| All Month |
Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
| All Month |
Down Syndrome Awareness Month |
| All Month |
Family History Month |
| All Month |
Filipino American Heritage Month |
| All Month |
LGBT History Month |
| All Month |
National Disability Employment Awareness Month |
| All Month |
National German Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) |
| All Month |
National Work and Family Month |
| All Month |
Polish-American Heritage Month |
| October 2 |
International Day of Non-Violence |
| October 6 |
German American Heritage Day |
| October 10 |
World Mental Health Day |
| October 11 |
National Coming Out Day |
| October 14 |
Indigenous People's Day |
| October 15 |
White Cane Safety Day |
| October 16 |
Sukkot begins |
| October 17 |
Spirit Day–Anti Bullying |
| October 17 |
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
| October 18 |
Women in Military Service for America Memorial Anniversary |
| October 19 |
World Humanitarian Action Day |
| October 22 |
International Stuttering Awareness Day |
| October 31 |
Halloween |
| October 31 |
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) |
November
November Observances
| All Month |
National Native American Heritage Month |
| All Month |
National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month |
| November 1 |
Diwali |
| November 9 |
World Freedom Day |
| November 11 |
Veterans Day/Armistice Day |
| November 13 |
World Kindness Day |
| November 16 |
International Day for Tolerance |
| November 17 |
International Students' Day |
| November 20 |
Transgender Day of Remembrance |
| November 28 |
Thanksgiving |
| November 29 |
Anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre |
December
December Observances
| All Month |
Universal Human Rights Month |
| December 1 |
World AIDS Day |
| December 2 |
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery |
| December 3 |
International Day for People with Disability |
| December 10 |
International Human Rights Day |
| December 20 |
International Human Solidarity Day |
| December 25 |
Christmas |
| December 25 - Jan 2 |
Hanukkah |
| Dec 26 - Jan 1 |
Kwanzaa |
| December 31 |
New Year's Eve |