The Navy conducts activities in observance of nine specified diversity-related groups, events or individuals. Observances and related resources are listed below. DOD themes are promulgated by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI).
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
3rd Monday in January
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. It is also a day of intercultural cooperation, to commemorate the timeless values he taught us, such as courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility, and service. It is held the third Monday of January, shortly after his birthday, Jan. 15.
Nobel Prize
The King Center
Library of Congress Section
Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute
Black History Month (February)
The observation of "Negro History Week" began in 1926, an initiative led by historian Carter G. Woodson, to recognize the contributions of African Americans to our country and foster a better understanding of the African American experience. He choose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, two people who had a dramatic affect on the lives of African Americans. The observation was expanded to include the whole month in 1976, and has since become commonly referred to as Black History or African American History Month.
Library of Congress Section
History Channel Video & Minisite
Smithsonian Resources
Rhumb Lines 2012
National Women’s History Month (March)
Women’s History Month started as Women’s History Week in 1978. In 1987, Congress was petitioned to expand the week to an entire month. Women’s History Month is a time to recognize the many contributions women have made to our Navy and Nation. The observance honors the spirit of possibility and hope embodied by generations of women who bring communities together and restore hope in the face of great challenges. Starting with the establishment of the Nurse Corps in 1908, women have been an integral part of the Navy and exhibited ever-increasing influence and impact.
Library of Congress Section
History Channel Minisite
Women in Military Service For America Memorial
Women Veterans Historical Collection
National Women’s Hall of Fame
Rhumb Lines 2012
Days of Remembrance
April/May timeframe
Mindful of the fact that it was our Nation's military forces which first witnessed evidence of the Holocaust as they liberated the camps - and cognizant of the fact that those of us in uniform must remember both the dreams we stand for and the nightmares we stand against - the Military Services take time during this period to remember the victims of the holocaust. Often observances are held on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which corresponds to 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Asian/Pacific American Heritage (May)
This observation originally began as Asian/Pacific Heritage “week” May 1-10, 1978, to celebrate the contributions of Americans of Asian or Pacific Islander descent – a group of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian Pacific American history: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States (May 7, 1843) and the significant contributions Chinese workers made in constructing the transcontinental railroad, (completed on May 10, 1869). In 1992, Congress expanded this observance to a month long celebration.
Library of Congress Section
Rhumb Lines 2011
Asian Pacific American Heritage Association
Women's Equality Day (August 26)
On the Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote, was ratified. This was the culmination of a long struggle by women searching for the right to vote. In 1971, the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as Women's Equality Day to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment and to celebrate continuing efforts toward equality. We also celebrate Women's Equality Day to commemorate the tremendous positive change brought on by the Women's Movement. Due to the countless millions of women who planned, organized, lectured, wrote, petitioned, lobbied, paraded and broke new ground in every field imaginable, our world is irrevocably changed.
National Women’s History Project
Pentagon Library Site
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)
This 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 Sept. 15 and ending Oct. 15. September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
Library of Congress Section
Rhumb Lines 2011
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October)
In 1945, President Truman passed Public Law 176: National Employ the Handicapped Week. In 2003, President George W. Bush proclaimed October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This observance gives all a chance to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities – critical to mission completion, and valuable to our society as a whole.
Library of Congress Section
Museum of DisAbility History
National American Indian Heritage Month (November)
This important observance began in the early 1900's, when the Boy Scouts of America set aside a day for the "First Americans." In 1990, President Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month, or as it is now often referred to – American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month.
Library of Congress Section
Rhumb Lines 2011
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Native Americans in the U.S. Military
For additional information on Diversity Observances, visit the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.
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