by The Justice William J. Murray Jr. Unity Bar Section

Cultural Awareness Brief from The Justice William J. Murray Jr. Unity Bar Section

May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869; the majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants. May is also Older Americans Month, established in 1963 to honor the legacies and contributions of older Americans and to support them as they enter their next stage of life; Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture; and Mental Health Awareness Month or Mental Health Month, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses. 

May 1 is May Day (also called Workers’ Day or International Workers’ Day), a day that commemorates the struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement. May 1 is also Beltane, an ancient Celtic, Pagan, and Wiccan holiday commemorated about halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice; the day is often used to celebrate love and romance. May 2 is National Day of Prayer, a day of observance in the United States when people are asked to “turn to God in prayer and meditation.” May 3 is Feasts of Saints Philip and James, a Roman rite feast day held on the anniversary of the dedication of the Church to Saints Phillip and James in Rome. May 3 is also Constitutional Memorial Day, a holiday in Japan commemorating the enactment of the 1947 Constitution.

May 4 is Greenery Day, a Japanese holiday for communing with nature. May 5 is Buddha Day (or Vesak or Visakha Puja), a Buddhist festival that marks Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death; Children’s Day, a holiday in Japan and South Korea celebrating children; and Liberation Day (or Bevrijdingsdag), a holiday in the Netherlands marking the end of the Nazi occupation and World War II. May 5 is also Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867).

May 8 is Iris Day, a holiday in Belgium marking the feast day of the region’s patron saint, as well as the victory won by the Allied Powers during World War II; May Day (or Bealtaine), a traditional Celtic festival and a holiday in Ireland that celebrates the arrival of the summer; and Victory in Europe Day, a holiday in France commemorating the Allied victory in the European front in World War II. May 10 is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, an annual occasion observed on the Friday before Mother’s Day to recognize and honor the support and sacrifices of military spouses in the U.S. May 12 is Buddha Purnima (or Vesak Day), a Buddhist holiday celebrating Buddha’s birthday. May 15 to 16 (sundown to sundown) is Lag BaOmer, a Jewish holiday marking the day of hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

May 16 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day, focusing on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people living with disabilities or impairments; it is marked annually on the third Thursday of May. May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a global celebration of sexual orientation and gender diversities.

May 19 is Malcolm X Day, a holiday celebrated either on May 19, his birthday, or on the third Friday in May, to commemorate the Civil Rights leader. May 19 is also Pentecost, a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, as well as Victoria Day, a holiday in Canada honoring Queen Victoria, who is known as the “Mother of Confederation.” May 20 is Armed Forces Day, observed on the third Saturday in May to honor military personnel serving in the United States Armed Forces.

May 21 is Navy Day (or Día de las Glorias Navales), a Chilean holiday honoring the day Chile fought the Battle of Iquique against Peru. It is also World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a United Nations–designated day to deepen understanding of the values of cultural diversity and promote harmony. May 22 to 23 (sundown to sundown) is Declaration of the Báb, which commemorates the day the Báb announced his mission as the forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í faith.

May 24 is Battle of Pichincha Day, a holiday in Ecuador celebrating the end of Spanish occupation. May 26 is Memorial Day, a holiday in the United States established to honor military veterans who died in wars fought by U.S. forces. May 29 is both the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, commemorating the ascension of the founder of the Bahá’í faith, and the Ascension of Jesus (or Ascension Day), observed in the Christian faith as the day Christ ascended to heaven. May 30 is Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, observed by Sikhs to honor the fifth Sikh guru and first Sikh martyr. May 31 to June 2 is the Dragon Boat Festival, a Chinese holiday commemorating Qu Yuan, the prime minister of the southern Chinese state of Chu during the Warring States period (approximately 600–200 B.C.).