National Holidays

Independence Day - July 4

• In the United States Independence Day or July 4 is a holiday celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

• Signing the Declaration of Independence declared Americans free from Great Britain.

• Independence Day is celebrated with parades, baseball, and picnics. Often fireworks are part of the celebration.

Columbus Day -second Monday in October

• celebration to remember the date Christopher arrived in the New World on October 12, 1942

• Today banks, the Post Office, and most governments and schools celebrate this holiday by closing.

Native American or American Indian Day - October 10-16

• Beginning of 1900s, people began asking for a day to honor Native Americans.
• New York was the first state to observe American Indian Day in 1916.
• In 1976, a Senate resolution authorized the president of the United States to declare the week of October 10-16, 1976, as Native American Awareness Week.

• The celebration was expanded to a month in 1990.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Civil Rights Day  - third Monday of January

• celebrates birthdate, January 15, of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Began November 2, 1983 when President Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King

Veteran's Day - fourth Monday of October

• honors war veterans

• also called Armistice Day or Remembrance Day

• falls on November 11 which is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing the Armistice)

• formally observed in most parts of the United States only by government offices and banks. Many schools and almost all businesses stay open on regular schedules

Memorial Day - last Monday of May

• commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country

• first celebrated to honor Union soldiers who died during the Civil War

• after World War I it expanded to include anyone who died in any war or military action

• Indianapolis 500 is has been held on Memorial Day since 1911.

• picnics, family gatherings, and sporting events

Thanksgiving - fourth Thursday of November

• one day holiday to give thanks to God

• celebrated with special foods especially turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Indian corn, fall vegetables and pumpkin pie