Months Honoring Diversity | Chadron State College

Hispanic Heritage Month (September)

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean Central and South America.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.

The Law Library of Congress has compiled guides to commemorative observations, including a comprehensive inventory of the Public Laws, Presidential Proclamations and congressional resolutions related to Hispanic American Heritage Month.
http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/index.html

CSC was the first college in Nebraska to become affiliated with HACU. (http://www.hacu.net/hacu/default.asp) Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Hispanic Heritage Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Hispanic Heritage:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/hhm/
http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2013/pbs-celebrates-hispanic-heritage-month/

Disability Awareness Month (October)

In 1987 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.” The deinstitutionalization movement of the seventies and early eighties had laid the foundation for significant social change, and the presidential proclamation called upon Americans to provide the "encouragement and opportunities" necessary for people with developmental disabilities to reach their potential.

As those citizens began living within the general community in larger numbers, programs to provide career planning, job coaching and supported employment began to emerge. The idea that individuals with developmental disabilities could become productive members of the workforce was new to many people, and entrenched preconceptions had to be overcome. Advocates recognized a moral imperative to engage individuals with developmental – and other – disabilities. With passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, workplace discrimination against people with disabilities became sanctionable.

The expectations of young people with developmental disabilities and their parents began to shift. Productive, self-directed lives within the community increasingly became the goal, and (increasingly) an obtainable goal. At the same time, due to improvements in healthcare, people with developmental disabilities were living longer, leading to questions about the lifestyle of "retirement-age" individuals. In short, the national conversation began to address the full spectrum of services needed for people with disabilities to live secure, fulfilling lives. Passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, further cemented the resolve of self-advocates and their supporters. With its guarantees of early intervention, special education and services to transition high schoolers into adulthood, IDEA opened a world of possibilities.

By Robert B. Fleming, CELA

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Disability Awareness Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Disability Awareness:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://www.specialneedsalliance.org/home
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/
www.csc.edu/healthserv/counseling

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex and Allies (LGBTQIA) Month (October)

In 1994, Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school teacher, believed a month should be dedicated to the celebration and teaching of gay and lesbian history, and gathered other teachers and community leaders. They selected October because public schools are in session and existing traditions, such as Coming Out Day (October 11), occur that month.

Gay and Lesbian History Month was endorsed by GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association, and other national organizations. In 2006, Equality Forum assumed responsibility for providing content, promotion and resources for LGBT History Month.

Celebrate Our Heritage

The LGBT community is the only community worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools, or in religious institutions. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and makes the civil rights statement of our extraordinary national and international contributions.

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for LGBT Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to LGBT:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://lgbthistorymonth.com/background
http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/

Native American Month (November)

What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.

One of the very proponents of an American Indian Day was Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, N.Y. He persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the "First Americans" and for three years they adopted such a day. In 1915, the annual Congress of the American Indian Association meeting in Lawrence, Kans., formally approved a plan concerning American Indian Day. It directed its president, Rev. Sherman Coolidge, an Arapahoe, to call upon the country to observe such a day. Coolidge issued a proclamation on Sept. 28, 1915, which declared the second Saturday of each May as an American Indian Day and contained the first formal appeal for recognition of Indians as citizens.

The year before this proclamation was issued, Red Fox James, a Blackfoot Indian, rode horseback from state to state seeking approval for a day to honor Indians. On December 14, 1915, he presented the endorsements of 24 state governments at the White House. There is no record, however, of such a national day being proclaimed.

The first American Indian Day in a state was declared on the second Saturday in May 1916 by the governor of New York. Several states celebrate the fourth Friday in September. In Illinois, for example, legislators enacted such a day in 1919. Presently, several states have designated Columbus Day as Native American Day, but it continues to be a day we observe without any recognition as a national legal holiday.

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.

Information courtesy of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Native American Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Native Americans:

Photos & Videos

Other website:
http://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/index.html

Red Cloud School Inc. students, from left, Taylor Brooks, Shyanne O'Rourke and Rachel Kelly, dance in the Chadron State College Ballroom as part of Native American Month.

Martin Luther King Month (January)

"I Have a Dream"

"I Have a Dream" is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, in which he called for an end to racism in the United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Monument during the March on Washington, the speech was a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience.

Born: January 15, 1929, Atlanta, GA
Assassinated: April 4, 1968, Memphis, TN
Buried: April 9, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, Atlanta, GA

Photos & Videos

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Martin Luther King Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Martin Luther King:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr

Martin Luther King Jr.

African American History Month (February)

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.

As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.

By the time of Woodson's death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro History Week. The Black Awakening of the 1960s dramatically expanded the consciousness of African Americans about the importance of black history, and the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all color on the subject of the contributions of African Americans to our history and culture.

The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

That year, fifty years after the first celebration, the association held the first African American History Month. By this time, the entire nation had come to recognize the importance of Black history in the drama of the American story. Since then each American president has issued African American History Month proclamations. And the association—now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to promote the study of Black history all year.

Excerpt from an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, Howard University, for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History)

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for African American History Month helps sponsor a variety of events related to African American History:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_History_Month
http://www.loc.gov/law/help/commemorative-observations/african-american.php

Women's History Month (March)

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week." Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History Week." In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month." Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”
Hosted by The Library of Congress

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Women's History Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Women's History:

Photos & Videos

Other websites:
http://womenshistorymonth.gov/about.html
http://womenshistorymonth.gov/audio.html

National Arab American Heritage Month (April)

During the month of April, the Arab America Foundation formally recognizes the achievements of Arab Americans through the celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). Across the country, cultural institutions, school districts, municipalities, state legislatures, public servants, and non-profit organizations issue proclamations and engage in special events that celebrate our community’s rich heritage and numerous contributions to society.

Arab America and the Arab America Foundation launched the National Arab American Heritage Month initiative in 2017, with just a handful of states recognizing the initiative. Each year, our grass-roots network of over 250 Arab American volunteers in 26 states gathers hundreds of proclamations from their states, counties, municipalities, and local school districts. If you would like to join a state team please contact Dr. Amal David.

The President of the United States recognized the month of April as National Arab American Heritage Month with a special commemorative letter to our organization. In 2022, Congress, the U.S. Department of State, and 45 state governors issued proclamations commemorating the initiative. Additionally, the following states have passed permanent legislation designating the month of April as NAAHM: Illinois; Oregon; Virginia; Indiana (Senate), and California.

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month (May)

History
Like most commemorative months, Asian-Pacific Heritage Month originated in a congressional bill. In June 1977, Reps. Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a House resolution that called upon the president to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week.
Hosted by The Library of Congress

Asian-Pacific Encompasses

All of Asian Continent
Pacific Islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands)
Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia
Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island)

Every fall the CSC Diversity Sub-committee for Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month helps sponsor a variety of events and activities related to Asian-Pacific American Heritage:

Photos & Videos

Other website:
http://asianpacificheritage.gov/about.html

Ottley Wright, academic advisor for Chadron State College's Extended Campus Programs, performs a dance during the annual Aloha Dinner

Ottley Wright, academic advisor for Chadron State College's Extended Campus Programs, performs a dance during the annual Aloha Dinner in the Student Center on April 7. The event, which features entertainment and ethnic cuisine for CSC employees and students, celebrates Asian Pacific American heritage. (Photo by Justin Haag)

Mental Health Awareness Month (May)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions. Throughout the month, NAMI actively participates in this national movement, dedicated to eradicating stigma, extending support, fostering public education and advocating for policies that prioritize the well-being of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival (February)

As the largest Chinese lantern festival producer in the North America, Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., is proud to the share our cultural tradition that dates back nearly 2,000 years to the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Historically, the Chinese lantern festival would take place on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (known as the Yuan) – which usually occurs in February in the Gregorian calendar. We honor our deceased ancestors while promoting peace and reconciliation by lighting lanterns as we celebrate the New Year.

As we approach the Chinese New Year on February 12 (marking the year of the Ox in 2021 and lasting through February 26), we wanted to share the origins, craft, and cultural experiences that we traditionally associate with the lantern festival.

Origins of the Chinese Lantern

The Chinese lantern tradition is believed to have originated in the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) when Buddhist Monks would honor Buddha by lighting lanterns on the 15th day of the lunar year. The tradition quickly spread across China and would evolve throughout the centuries. The earliest evidence of the lantern festival (or the Yuanxiao Festival) is found during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), at which point people had started to create lanterns representing peace and power in China.

There are countless legends and myths surrounding the Lantern Festival that have survived the centuries, which is a testament to both China’s rich oral traditions and the festival’s historically mysterious origins.

Leaders throughout China’s history have also played a key role in influencing and maintaining the lantern traditions.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD – 1644 AD), Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang introduced the floating lanterns and had citizens place thousands of them in the Qinhuai River.

There’s even a legend of the Lantern Festival’s origins that involved a Jade Emperor (You Di) who accused a village of killing his goose and planned to burn it down as punishment for their crime. However, a spirit intervened and told the villagers to light lanterns across the town on the day the emperor planned to burn their village. When the emperor arrived, the lanterns made it appear as though the village was already consumed by fire, and so he left it behind unharmed. The village was spared, and to show their gratitude to the spirit, the villagers celebrated every year by decorating their homes with lanterns.

What Makes A Lantern

Although the most recognizable lantern is the illuminated orb, artisans became more ambitious with their designs and soon developed complex shapes and colossal sizes.

A lantern’s main structure is typically made of bamboo, wood rattan or wire, while the shades are made of silk or paper are typically red with decorative gold designs symbolizing warmth, happiness, and good fortune. A common festival activity is solving riddles hidden away in the lanterns, which, if answered correctly, will earn you a small gift!

Food & Lantern Festivals

There are many activities that are commonly associated with the Lantern Festival, though no celebration is complete without food.

Enter the yuanxiao, a delicious rice ball filled with nuts or fruits that is traditionally found in Northern China. Its round shape and the bowls they are served in symbolize togetherness. These tasty treats also appear in Southern China but are called tangyuan and are molded into a flat circle before getting wrapped around a filling that can be either sweet or savory. While yuanxiao only use sweet fillings like red bean or jujube paste, the tangyuan can be stuffed with minced meats or vegetables.

Whether you like them fried, steamed, or drenched in delicious syrup, these wonderful festival treats are a key part of any lantern festival.

While you’re admiring the beautiful lanterns or enjoying a tasty rice ball, festival-goers can expect to see plenty of exciting spectacles such as lion and dragon dances, parades made up of thousands of singers or performers, and even fireworks.

It’s a celebration that often stretches from sunset to the early hours of the morning and, although Tianyu’s Lantern Festivals can’t quite capture all the aspects of these events, we still strive to help share the culture and artistry that inspires them.

We hope you learned a thing or two! Enjoy your New Year celebration and create your own Lanterns with our Lantern Art Challenges, created for you so that you can make your own masterpieces.

Arab American (April)

During the month of April, the Arab America Foundation formally recognizes the achievements of Arab Americans through the celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). Across the country, cultural institutions, school districts, municipalities, state legislatures, public servants, and non-profit organizations issue proclamations and engage in special events that celebrate our community’s rich heritage and numerous contributions to society.

Arab America and the Arab America Foundation launched the National Arab American Heritage Month initiative in 2017, with just a handful of states recognizing the initiative. Each year, our grass-roots network of over 250 Arab American volunteers in 26 states gathers hundreds of proclamations from their states, counties, municipalities, and local school districts. If you would like to join a state team please contact Dr. Amal David.

The President of the United States recognized the month of April as National Arab American Heritage Month with a special commemorative letter to our organization. In 2022, Congress, the U.S. Department of State, and 45 state governors issued proclamations commemorating the initiative. Additionally, the following states have passed permanent legislation designating the month of April as NAAHM: Illinois; Oregon; Virginia; Indiana (Senate), and California.

Jewish American Heritage Month (May)

Jewish American Heritage Month had its origins in 1980 when Congress passed Pub. L. No. 96-237, which authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating April 21 - 28, 1980 as Jewish Heritage Week. On April 24, 1980, President Carter issued this first proclamation, Proclamation No. 4752 External, for Jewish Heritage Week. In this proclamation President Carter spoke about the bountiful contributions made by the Jewish people to the culture and history of the United States. He also spoke of the significance of April 1980 in the Jewish calendar, which was the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Solidarity Sunday for Soviet Jewry, Israeli Independence Day, and the Days of Remembrance of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust.

Between 1981 and 1990, Congress annually passed public laws proclaiming a week in April or May as Jewish Heritage Week, and Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush issued annual proclamations detailing important events in the history of the Jews. In 1991, Congress passed Pub. L. No. 102-30, which requested that the President designate the weeks of April 14-21, 1991 and May 3-10, 1992 as Jewish Heritage Week. In 1993, Congress passed Pub. L. No. 103-27, which requested that the President designate the weeks of April 25-May 2, 1993 and April 10-17, 1994 as Jewish Heritage Week. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Clinton then issued three presidential proclamations between 1991 and 1994 for Jewish Heritage Week.

Between 1995 and 2006, Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush issued a series of annual presidential proclamations designating a week in April or May of each year as Jewish Heritage Week. On April 24, 1998, President Clinton issued Proclamation No. 7087, which celebrates the many contributions of Jewish Americans along with the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel.

Then on February 14, 2006, Congress issued H.R. Con. Res. 315 which stated:

Resolved . . . that Congress urges the President to issue each year a proclamation calling on State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe an American Jewish History Month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

Pursuant to this resolution, on April 20, 2006 President Bush issued the first proclamation designating May 2006 as Jewish American Heritage Month. Since 2007 Presidents George W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have issued proclamations for Jewish American Heritage Month. These proclamations celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans and urge the people of the United States to learn more about Jewish Americans.