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 1 is also Buddha Purnima (or Vesak Day) in most countries, a Buddhist holiday celebrating Buddha’s birthday. 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 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 4 to 5 (sundown to sundown) is Lag BaOmer, a Jewish holiday marking the day of hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

May 5 is 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 7 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 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; and Victory in Europe Day, a holiday in France commemorating the Allied victory in the European front in World War II. May 8 is also 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.; and May 10 is Mother’s Day. May 14 is Ascension of Jesus (or Ascension Day), celebrated as the ascension of Christ from Earth in the presence of God within most of the Christian faith.

May 16 is Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May paying tribute to the military personnel serving in the United States Armed Forces. May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, a global celebration of sexual orientation and gender diversities. May 18 is Victoria Day, a holiday in Canada honoring Queen Victoria who is known as the “Mother of Confederation.” May 19 is Malcom X Day, a holiday celebrated either on May 19th, his birthday, or on the third Friday in May, to commemorate the Civil Rights leader. May 20 is Eid al‑Fitr, depending on moon sighting; also know as the Festival of Breaking the Fast, it marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. May 21 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day; an awareness day focusing on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people alive today who live with disabilities or impairments; it is marked annually on the third Thursday of May. May 21 is also Navy Day (or Día de las Glorias Navales), a Chilean holiday honoring the day Chile fought The Battle of Iquique against Peru; and World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a day set aside by the United Nations to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to learn to live together in harmony. May 21 (sundown) to May 23 (nightfall in the Diaspora) is Shavuot, a major Jewish pilgrimage festival (Feast of Weeks) widely observed as commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai; it also marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer, the seven-week period following Passover.

May 23 to 24 (sundown to sundown) is Declaration of the Báb, the day of declaration of the Báb, 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 24 is also Pentecost, a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday; it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. May 25 is Memorial Day, a holiday in the United States established to honor military veterans who died in wars fought by U.S. forces. May 26 is Arafah Day, depending on local moon sighting; it is the day during the Hajj pilgrimage when pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat. May 26 to May 27 is Eid al‑Adha, depending on local moon sighting; it commemorates the faith and obedience of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), associated with the tradition of sacrifice and charity and coincides with the conclusion of Hajj. May 29 is Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, commemorates the ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í faith. May 30 is Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, observed by members of the Sikh faith to recognize the fifth Sikh guru and the first Sikh martyr.