• NATIONAL HERITAGE/HISTORY MONTHS 

    National Heritage Months celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of people from many backgrounds. Throughout the year, Oak Park USD commemorates National Heritage Months at our schools.  During these months, we honor a community's history and past, celebrate its present and future, engage the diversity and complexity of lived experiences within communities, and raise awareness and visibility for these communities across our schools. Below, you will find resources and links to the Heritage Months celebrated and observed at OPUSD.  

    NOVEMBER HERITAGE MONTH

    During National Native American Heritage Month (NNAHM), we celebrate Indigenous people past and present and rededicate ourselves to honoring Tribal sovereignty, promoting Tribal self-determination, and upholding the United States' solemn trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations. 

    NNAHM is observed in November to recognize the achievements and contributions of Native Americans. In 1990 President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”), have been issued each year since 1994. Learn more at https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/.

    As of 2021, there are 574 federally recognized Tribes in the United States. However, numerous others are still advocating for recognition. Although many Native Americans still reside on reservations, approximately 71 percent live in metropolitan areas. To date, Tribal citizens constitute about 2.5 percent of the total U.S. population. Despite American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living among the larger society, much of their history has been forgotten or overlooked. For this very reason, NNAHM is of the utmost importance. This month can serve as a reminder of America’s indigenous people or even provide many with a new understanding. 

    February

    • Black History Month, a tradition that got its start in the Jim Crow era and was officially recognized in 1976 as part of the nation's bicentennial celebrations. It aims to honor the contributions that African Americans have made and to recognize their sacrifices. LINK

    March 

    • Irish-American Heritage Month - Celebrates the Irish-American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. LINK    
    • Women’s History Month - Established in 1987, recognizes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society. LINK
     

    April

    • Deaf History Month - This observance celebrates key events in deaf history, including the founding of Gallaudet University and the American School for the Deaf. LINK

    • Arab American Heritage Month - Celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans. LINK

    • Tartan (Scottish-American) Heritage Month - Each April, Scottish-American Heritage Month highlights Scottish heritage and remembers the Scottish-Americans who have had an impact on U.S. society. LINK

    May 

    • Asian Pacific-American Heritage Month - May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Throughout the month, join us in celebrating + recognizing the many contributions & influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history & achievements of the U.S. LINK
    • Haitian Heritage Month is a nationally recognized month and an opportunity for individuals, including Haitians and lovers of the Haitian culture, to celebrate the rich culture, distinctive art, and delicious food and learn about the traditions of Haiti and its people. The celebration is an expansion of the Haitian Flag Day on May 18th, a major patriotic day celebration in Haiti and the Diaspora. LINK
    • Jewish American Heritage Month - This month, we recognize Jewish contributions to American culture, history, military, science, government, and more. In 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month. This was a result of a concerted effort by American Jewish leaders to introduce resolutions in both the U.S. Senate and the House urging the President to proclaim a month specifically recognizing Jews in America and their contributions to the United States. LINK

    June

    • Caribbean American Heritage Month - In June 2005, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, recognizing the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States. On February 14, 2006, the resolution similarly passed the Senate, culminating a two-year, bipartisan and bicameral effort. LINK

    • LGBTQIA+ Pride Month - June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month. This month-long celebration demonstrates how LGBTQ Americans have strengthened our country by using their talent and creativity to help create awareness and goodwill. The first Pride March in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. LINK

    July

    • French American Heritage Month - Observed annually in July, is a time to celebrate and honor the profound influence of French culture and heritage on the United States. This month-long celebration recognizes the historical and cultural ties between France and America, highlighting the contributions of French immigrants, their descendants, and the enduring connections that shape the diverse fabric of American society. LINK

    September-October 

    Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15 - October 15 - Hispanic Heritage Month - National Hispanic Heritage Month falls during the anniversaries of independence for several Latin American countries — Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. This month-long recognition honors the history, culture, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Learn more  LINK 

    October

    • Filipino American History Month - commemorates the first Filipinos to arrive in the continental United States at what is now Morro Bay, California, on October 18, 1587. Learn more HERE.

    • German American Heritage Month -  commemorates the contributions of German immigrants and German-Americans to American society and culture.  The month was selected in alignment with the centuries-old observance of German American Day on October 6 and the end of Oktoberfest on October 3. Learn more HERE.

    • Italian American Heritage Month - is celebrated annually to honor and recognize the centuries of achievements, successes, and valuable contributions of Italian immigrants and Italian Americans. Today, over 17.8 million Americans of Italian descent are in the United States, making them the fourth largest ethnic group.  Learn more HERE.

    • Polish American Heritage Month - The Polish American Heritage Month has been celebrated annually since 1981 when it was first organized by Mr. Michael Blichasz in Philadelphia, President of the Polish American Congress Pennsylvania Eastern Division and the President of the Polish American Cultural Center. Learn more HERE

    • LGBTQ History Month - It was created in 1994 by Rodney Wilson, a high school history teacher in Missouri. In 1995, a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the National Education Association included LGBT History Month within a list of commemorative months. October was selected to coincide with National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11), which was already established, and the anniversary of the first march on Washington for gay and lesbian rights in 1979. Learn more LGBTQ History Month  

    November

    • National American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month - A time to celebrate Native Americans/Indigenous People and the significant contributions they made to grow the U.S. More info: https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/