A List of Holidays of Interest to Black Americans

Juneteenth

When did enslavement end in the United States? The answer to that question isn’t as clear-cut as it seems. While most enslaved people received their freedom after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, those in Texas had to wait more than two-and-a-half more years to receive their freedom. That’s when the Union Army arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, and ordered that enslavement in the Lone Star State end.

Since then, Black Americans have celebrated that date as Juneteenth Independence Day. Juneteenth is an official state holiday in Texas. It’s also recognized by 47 states and the District of Columbia. In 2020, a number of companies announced that they would make Juneteenth a paid holiday. Juneteenth advocates have worked for years for the federal government to institute a national day of recognition.

Loving Day

Today, interracial marriage in the U.S. is quickly rising, with the U.S. Census Bureau finding that these unions increased from 7.4% to 10.2% from 2000 to 2012-2016. But, for years, various states barred such marriages from taking place between White people and individuals of color.

A Virginia couple named Richard and Mildred Loving challenged the anti-miscegenation laws on the books in their home state. After being arrested and told they couldn’t live in Virginia because of their interracial union—Mildred was Black and Native American, Richard was White—the Lovings decided to take legal action. Their case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which decided on June 12, 1967, to strike down anti-miscegenation laws in the country.

Today, people of all racial backgrounds celebrate June 12 as Loving Day throughout the nation. And a feature film about Richard and Mildred Loving premiered in 2016; it is simply called "Loving."

Kwanzaa

Many Americans have heard of Kwanzaa, they may have seen Kwanzaa celebrations featured on the nightly news or greeting cards in the holiday sections of stores. Still, they may not realize what this week-long holiday commemorates. Observed every year between December 26 and January 1, Kwanzaa was established by professor, activist, and author Maulana Karenga.

Kwanzaa marks a time for Black Americans to reflect on their heritage, their community, and their connection to Africa. Arguably, the biggest misconception about Kwanzaa is that only Black Americans may observe the event. According to the Official Kwanzaa Website, individuals of all racial backgrounds may participate.

Black History Month

Black History Month is a cultural observance with which virtually all Americans are familiar. Yet, many Americans don’t seem to understand the point of the month.

Historian Carter G. Woodson launched the holiday, formerly known as Negro History Week, in 1926 because the contributions that Black Americans made to American culture and society were overlooked in history books in the early 20th century. Thus, Negro History Week marked a time for the nation to reflect on what Black people had achieved in the country in the wake of virulent racism.

Martin Luther King Day

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is so revered today that it’s difficult to imagine a time when U.S. lawmakers would have opposed creating a holiday in honor of the slain civil rights hero. But in the 1970s and early 1980s, King’s supporters, including his fraternity brothers and fellow activists, waged an uphill battle to make a federal King holiday a reality. Finally, in 1983, legislation for a national King holiday passed.