Use this calendar to learn more about diversity and culture in the month of January!
January 1, Tuesday
Emancipation Proclamation: United States.
On this day in 1863 U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves in the rebellious Confederate States. In said Proclamation Lincoln wrote, “…all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforeward, and forever free…” – President Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863. In 2013, the United States recognizes the 150 year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
January 2, Wednesday
John Hope Franklin (1915 – 2009): African American.
On this day in 1915 the celebrated historian, author, and teacher John Hope Franklin was born. Originating in Oklahoma, Franklin attended the segregated Booker T. Washington High School. After which, he went to Fisk University then Harvard where Franklin earned his Ph.D. in History. He went on to teach at the Fisk and Howard Universities. His best-known work, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans (1947) challenged the concept of African American history as a separate entity from American history. Franklin also served on the NAACP Legal Defense Fund team which worked on the case Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), which ended the legalized segregation of public schools. Franklin walked with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965 on the historic Selma to Montgomery march. Throughout his lifetime, Franklin served as a professor at multiple universities and in 1995 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President William Clinton.
January 4, Friday
Louis Braille (1809- 1852): French: People with Disabilities.
Born in 1809, Louis Braille was blinded in an accident at the age of three. He went on to attend the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris on a scholarship, and in 1826 began to teach there. He developed a form of writing that used raised dots to convey a message into a complete writing system. Braille’s writing system, published in 1829, is now the most widely used form of writing for the blind.
January 5, Saturday
George Washington Carver (1864-1943) African American.
Today marks the day of George Washington Carver’s death—the exact date of his birthday is unknown, but believed to be sometime within the month of January. A man of many trades, Carver is best known for his research on alternative crops. The goal of his research was to find an alternative to cotton that would also provide a source of nutrients for farm families. Carver’s research on peanuts resulted in over 100 different products. For his various achievements, Time Magazine dubbed Caver a “black Leonardo” in 1941.
January 6, Sunday
Christian Epiphany: Christian.
The Christian Epiphany is one of the oldest and most important traditions celebrated in the Catholic Church. This day marks the end of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and the climax of the Advent Season. In Hispanic and Latin culture, the Epiphany is called “Three Kings Day” in reverence for the three Magi who visited the baby Jesus after his birth. Traditional celebrations include the lighting of advent candles and the making of the King’s Cake. Baked to symbolize the Magi’s search for baby Jesus, a toy is hidden inside of the cake; the finder of the toy is then crowned “king” for a day.
January 7, Monday
Christmas: Coptic Orthodox Christian and Eastern Orthodox.
January 7th marks the day that Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas. This date follows the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar commonly used today. Christmas is typically thought of as a day for reflection, healing, and feasting with family and friends. Commonly enjoyed foods are Lenten bread and bobal’ki—small biscuits with honey and sauerkraut or poppy seeds.
January 12, Saturday
José Limón (1908-1972): Mexican American.
A pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography, Limón first debuted as a performer with Doris Humphrey’s modern dance troupe. Early in his career, he performed on Broadway and in 1930, Limón choreographed his first dance, “Etude in D Minor”, a duet with Letitia Ide. Limón began choreographing his own dances, many of them drawing inspiration from traditional Mexican folkdances. His greatest works, including The Moor’s Pavane, are distinguished for their blend of emotional expressiveness and formal grace. In 1946, Limón formed his own dance troupe and the dance troupe was the first to be sent abroad on a tour to South America sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s cultural exchange program.
January 14, Monday
New Year: Eastern Orthodox Christian.
This date marks the observance of New Year’s Day according to the Julian calendar by the Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches. The Orthodox Church, as its commonly referred to as, is considered the second largest Christian church in the world, comprising of Russian, Serb, and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches.
Coming of Age Day: Japan.
This national holiday celebrates the coming of age of every person who turned twenty years old in the past year. It is held annually on the second Monday of January and is intended to congratulate the transition into adulthood. The age of maturity is referred to as “hatachi” and those who have reached age twenty in the past year gather at public halls for commemorative ceremonies.
January 15, Tuesday
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968): African American.
A celebrated leader in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Baptist Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gained national prominence when he orchestrated the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 in support of Rosa Parks. He quickly became the acknowledged national leader of the growing movement to obtain civil rights for African Americans. His commitment to nonviolent civil disobedience and racial equality won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King spoke out against the Vietnam War and the U.S. involvement. He was preparing to lead a massive Poor People’s March on Washington when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. His birthday is celebrated on January 21 as a federal holiday.
January 20, Sunday
World Religion Day: Bahá’í.
Celebrated on January 20 in 2013, the date of World Religion Day varies. Begun in 1950 by the Bahá’í this day celebrates the notion of “oneness” that all religions share and reminds us that religion can serve to motivate world unity. The Bahá’í Faith originated in Iran and is more than 160 years old; it has spread to 189 countries and 46 territories with about five million members made up of more than 2,100 ethnic groups.
January 21, Monday
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: United States.
National observance of Dr. King’s birthday. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, January 15. Ronald Reagan first signed MLK Day into law in 1983 and it was officially observed on January 20, 1986.
January 25, Friday
Revolution Day: Egyptian.
A new day to commemorate in Egyptian history, this day marks the uprising in 2011 by ordinary citizens who protested in the streets calling for greater democratic processes and the ouster of the regime headed by the then Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak. Following on the heels of a similar uprising in Tunisia, the revolution was successful in bringing about the resignation of President Mubarak on February 11, 2011.
January 31, Thursday
William Apess (1798 – 1840): American Indian (Pequot).
Apess was a writer, political activist and also a Methodist minister who traveled and spread Methodist teachings. In 1829, he published his autobiography, A Son of the Forest, noteworthy because it was the first book by a Native American. He became an advocate for the Pequot challenging the racial views of white European Americans and argued for equal rights on the part of all people of color in the American Colonies.