U.S. law provides for the declaration of selected public observances by the president of the United States as designated by Congress or by the discretion of the president.Straus, Jacob R. and Jared C. Nagel. Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months: Background and Current Practice. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, 2016. Generally the president will provide a statement about the purpose and significance of the observance, and call on the people of the United States to observe the day "with appropriate ceremonies and activities". These events are typically to honor or commemorate a public issue or social cause, ethnic group, historic event or noted individual. However, (with several exceptions) there is no requirement that government or business close on these days, and many members of the general public may not be aware that such holidays even exist. Holidays proclaimed in this way may be considered a U.S. "national observance", but it would be improper to refer to them as "federal holidays". Many of these observances designated by Congress are authorized under permanent law under Title 36, U.S. Code, in which cases the president is under obligation to issue an annual proclamation.
In addition to annual commemorative events, the president may proclaim a day or period designated for mourning or prayer after the death of noted officials including U.S. presidents and chief justices of the United States or after major tragic events or disasters with serious casualties.Presidential Proclamations Project, University of Houston.
The policy of issuing proclamations calling for the observance of special days or events is in 1 CFR Section 19.4, which allows for the responsibility for the preparation and presentation of proposed proclamations calling for the observance of special days, or events to the Director of Management and Budget to such agencies as deemed appropriate. Proposed proclamations shall be submitted at least 60 days in advance of the specified observance, with any approved commemorative proclamations transmitted to the president.Code of Federal Regulations, Title 1, Section 19.4 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title1-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title1-vol1-sec19-4.xml
Annual special days recognized by presidential proclamation
Bold text indicates a public holiday, on which most government agencies and major businesses are closed.
January 16: Religious Freedom Day 3rd Monday in January: Martin Luther King Jr. Federal HolidayEstablished by Congress 1983, first observed 1986. 3rd Sunday in January: National Sanctity of Human Life Day various March/April: Education and Sharing Day (based on Hebrew calendar) February 15: Susan B. Anthony Day March 10: Harriet Tubman Day March 19: National Day of Honor March 25: Greek Independence Day March 29: National Vietnam War Veterans Day March 31: Cesar Chavez Day April 6: National Tartan Day 2nd Thursday in April: National D.A.R.E. Day April 9: National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day April 14: Pan American Day and Pan American Week May 1: Loyalty Day May 1: Law Day, U.S.A. May 15: Peace Officers Memorial Day 1st Thursday in May: National Day of Prayer 2nd Friday in May: Military Spouse Day 2nd Sunday in May: Mother's Day 3rd Friday in May: National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week 3rd Saturday in May: Armed Forces Day May 22: National Maritime Day May 25: National Missing Children's Day last Monday in May: Memorial DayMemorial Day was made an official observance by Congress in 1950 on May 30, Uniform Holiday Law in 1968 set date as last Monday in May. 1st Monday in June: National Child's Day June 14: Flag Day and National Flag Week June 19: JuneteenthA federal holiday celebrating the emancipation of African American slaves. It became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021. 3rd Sunday in June: Father's Day July 27: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Dayoriginally ended 2003, reinstated in 2009 4th Sunday in July: Parent's Day August 16: National Airborne Day August 26: Women's Equality Day 1st Monday in September: Labor Day 1st Sunday after Labor Day: National Grandparents' Day weekend before September 11: National Days of Prayer and Remembrance September 11: Patriot Day September 11: Emergency Number Day 3rd Friday in September National POW/MIA Recognition Day September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and Constitution Week September 22: American Business Women's Day September 28: National Good Neighbor Day 4th Monday in September: Family Day last Sunday in September: Gold Star Mother's Day 1st Monday in October: Child Health Day October 6: German-American Day 2nd Monday in October: Columbus DayObserved on October 12 beginning 1934. Since 1971, observed on second Monday of October per Uniform Holiday Law October 9: Leif Erikson Day October 11: General Pulaski Memorial Day October 14: National Day of Remembrance of Charlie Kirk October 15: White Cane Safety Day October 24: United Nations Day November 9: World Freedom Day November 11: Veterans DayObserved as Armistice Day from 1919-54. Between 1971-78, observed on fourth Monday of October per Uniform Holiday Law November 15: National Philanthropy Daysigned into observance by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. November 15: America Recycles Day 4th Thursday in November: Thanksgiving DayOldest proclaimed observance in US history, dating back to 1863 with Abraham Lincoln. Friday after Thanksgiving: Native American Heritage DayDesignated under Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-33) December 1: World AIDS Day December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities December 7: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day December 10: Human Rights Day and Human Rights Week December 15: Bill of Rights Day December 17: Wright Brothers Day
Annual special weeks recognized by presidential proclamation
1st week of March: Save Your Vision Week 3rd week of March: National Poison Prevention Week last week of April: National Volunteer Week varies in April: Crime Victims' Rights Week varies in April: National Park Week first week of May: Public Service Recognition Week third week of May: World Trade Week third week of May: National Hurricane Preparedness Week week prior to Memorial Day: National Safe Boating Week third week of July: Captive Nations Week varies in August: National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week 3rd week of September: National Farm Safety and Health Week varies in September: National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week week of October 9: Fire Prevention Week week of 2nd Sunday in October: National School Lunch Week week of 3rd Sunday in October: National Forest Products Week 3rd week in October: National Character Counts Week varies in October: Minority Enterprise Development Week week prior to Thanksgiving: National Farm-City Week week of Thanksgiving: National Family Week
Annual special months recognized by presidential proclamation
January: National Mentoring Month January: Stalking Awareness Month January: Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month February: American Heart Month February: Black History Month February: Career and Technical Education Month February: Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month March: American Red Cross Month March: Women's History Month March: Irish-American Heritage Month April: Arab American Heritage Month April: Cancer Control Month April: National Donate Life Month April: National Child Abuse Prevention Month April: National Sexual Assault Awareness Month April: National Financial Literacy Month May: Older Americans Month May: Jewish American Heritage MonthObserved beginning 2006, formerly "Jewish Heritage Week" (1980-2005). May: (Revoked) Asian Pacific American Heritage MonthObserved as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week until 1990. May: Mental Health Awareness Month May: National Physical Fitness and Sports Month May: National Foster Care Month June: Gay and Lesbian Pride Month June: Caribbean-American Heritage Month June: Great Outdoors Month June: National Oceans Month June: African-American Music Appreciation Month July: National Ice Cream Month September: National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month September: National Sickle Cell Awareness Month September: National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month September: National Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month September: National Wilderness Month September: National Preparedness Month September: National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month September: Prostate Cancer Awareness Month September 15 – October 15: National Hispanic Heritage MonthObserved as National Hispanic Heritage Week beginning in 1968, became a month-long event in 1989 October: National Information Literacy Awareness Month October: Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month October: Country Music Month October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month October: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month October: National Arts & Humanities Month October: National Disability Employment Awareness Month October: National Cyber Security Awareness Month October: National Energy Dominance Month [formerly National Energy Awareness Month (1991), National Energy Action Month (2011), National Clean Energy Action Month (2021)] October: National Down Syndrome Awareness Month November: National Entrepreneurship Month November: Military Family Month November: National Bone Marrow Donor Awareness Month November: National Hospice Month November: National Adoption Month November: National Family Caregivers Month November: National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month November: National Diabetes Month November: National American Indian Heritage Month November: National Critical Infrastructure Protection Month December: National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
Defunct observances The following observances have been mandated or authorized by Congress or the President, but are no longer proclaimed or observed on a regular basis.
March 21 (1982–1988): Afghanistan Day March 31: Transgender Day of Visibility June 14 (1982–1992): Baltic Freedom Day June 25, 1987: National Catfish Day October 6, 1972: National Coaches Day
See also Public holidays in the United States Federal holidays in the United States Presidential proclamation List of month-long observances
Notes
External links United States Code Title 36, Subtitle I, Part A, Chapter 1: Patriotic and National Observances Presidential Proclamations Project, University of Houston Proclamations from Washington to Obama (1789-present) at the American Presidency Project