Lunar New Year is a vibrant and deeply meaningful celebration observed by millions worldwide, including in Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, and among people of Chinese descent across the globe. This festive period, lasting for several weeks from late January to early February, is a time for joy, reflection, and new beginnings.
Throughout different cultures, traditions vary but share common themes of family, prosperity, and warding off bad luck. Fireworks light up the sky, feasts bring loved ones together, and streets are filled with lion dances, red decorations, and lanterns symbolizing good fortune.
Unique customs across countries add richness to the celebration: In Vietnam, households place a Cay Neu—a tall bamboo pole decorated with red paper and wind chimes—at their entrance to repel evil spirits. In Taiwan, paper effigies are burned to send offerings to the Kitchen God, ensuring a year of blessings. In Korea, homes glow with torchlight on New Year's Eve, and women partake in standing see-sawing, a traditional game that adds a touch of romance to the festivities.
In China, children eagerly anticipate receiving little red envelopes filled with money, a symbol of luck and prosperity. The traditional greeting, “Gong hei fat choy” (Cantonese), is exchanged to wish happiness and financial success in the new year.
Unlike the fixed Gregorian calendar, the Lunar New Year follows the oldest calendar system still in use, based on the cycles of the moon. This results in varying dates each year, with occasional extra months added to keep the lunar and solar cycles aligned.
To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. During the mid-1960s, and especially when college students demanded courses on African Americans and led protests demanding Black Studies Departments, there were calls for extending Negro History week into a month-long celebration from communities throughout the US. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Ten years later in 1986, which was also the first year of the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday, the U.S. Congress, in a joint resolution of the House and Senate, designated the month of February as “National Black History Month” stating that “the foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity.” Each year, the current U.S. president issues a proclamation in observance. (for more details visit ASALH)
To learn more about Black American History, visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
Nowruz is the Persian (Iranian) New Year, and marks the beginning of Spring on the vernal equinox, which falls on about March 21st in the Northern hemisphere. It is a multiday festival celebrated by Iranians as well as many other ethnic groups around the world that were historically influenced by Persian culture, from Eastern Europe and to South Asia – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It is also celebrated in the United States and Europe in cities where large numbers of Iranian immigrants have settled, such as Los Angeles and London.
Nowruz originated at least 3000 years ago in the Zoroastrian religion of Persia, which is now Iran. Nowruz means “new day” in Persian, and is now generally a non-religious holiday marked by customs and rituals of renewal, which vary from country to country. People prepare for the holiday by Spring cleaning their homes, buying new clothes, and decorating with flowers. In Iran and most countries, the celebration lasts 13 days, starting on the first day of spring with visiting neighbors and family, and sharing special foods which have symbolic meaning. Gifts also may be exchanged. A special table is often set out in homes, with seven dishes representing seven elements of nature, along with flowers and candles and other items of special significance. The last day of the festival is spent picnicking outdoors in parks and enjoying the natural world with family and friends.
In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized “The International Day of Nowruz” with the adoption of Resolution 64/253, and Nowruz was added to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Then in March 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Nowruz Resolution “Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz.”
To learn more about Nowruz, visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history.
Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.
In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week.
Subsequent Presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.” (womenshistory.org)
See also: https://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/
Merritt College Library Book Display
Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, introspection, and prayers, is held in the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Muslims believe that the Qurʾān, Islam’s holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan over a 10 day period. The Qurʾān lays out the rules for Muslims to live by which include the fasting of Ramadan.
Ramadan begins and ends when the crescent moon appears. Since the Muslim calendar is shorter than the Gregorian calendar, Ramadan begins 10-12 days earlier each year.
Muslims practice self-restraint by fasting from dawn to dusk during the day during Ramadan. Dawn is defined as when you can distinguish a black thread from a white one. Sawm, or self-restraint, is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. Fasting includes refraining from food, drink, sex, and bad acts toward others. After dusk, Muslims gather with family and friends for a meal called ifṭār after prayers. This mean usually begins with dates, or apricots and water or sweetened milk.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day festival known as Eid al-Fitr, the “Feast of Fast-Breaking” and is one of Islam’s major holidays.
To learn more about the history and observance of Ramadan, visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
National Poetry Month
Celebrated in April each year, National Poetry Month puts a spotlight on the works created by many wonderful American poets. NPM is celebrated by many schools, libraries, and organizations in the United States and Canada. There are many ways to join in. Try signing up for a Poem-a-Day, curated this month by Willie Perdomo, and then read a poem each morning. Or head over to the Starry Plough on Wednesdays (South Berkeley) for the longest running poetry slam on the West coast! And do check out a book or ebook of poetry from your Merritt College Library (see the guide below for suggestions).
The Merritt College Library honors the hard work of poets with a special National Poetry Month guide that features a selection of our books on poetry that we are pleased to make available to you! Read historical poetry by John Keats, Mao Zedong, and E.E. Cummings, or explore the more contemporary works of Maya Angelou (inaugural poet for Bill Clinton), Amanda Gorman (youngest inaugural poet in US history) and the rap lyrics of the Young Chicago Authors.
Arab American Heritage Month
In 2017 the Arab American Foundation launched a Heritage Month initiative to celebrate contributions of the Arab American community to American society. In April of every year since, it has sponsored a national event in Washington D.C. highlighting Arab culture, and featuring the arts, cuisine, music and dance. The event aims to highlight the history of Arab migration to America and encourage a better understanding of the various faiths, languages and traditions – as well as the community’s achievements in business, politics, and education. In 2025 the event will take place on April 9th.
In 2022, Congress, the U.S. State Department, and 45 State governors issued proclamations in support of the initiative, and in 2023 President Joe Biden issued a proclamation recognizing April as National Arab American Heritage Month. Illinois, Oregon, Virginia, Indiana and California have passed permanent legislation making April the month of celebration. Civic groups and community organizations across the United States also have issued proclamations and held heritage events.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. (loc.gov)
President Bill Clinton officially declared June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 2000. President Barack Obama expanded the observance in 2011 to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. (ucf.edu)
On September 11, 2001, the world witnessed an attack on US soil. Our nation watched in horror as four airplanes were hijack by 19 terrorists who carried out suicide attacks. Two planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City while a third crashed outside the Pentagon. Heroic passengers on the fourth hijacked plane, Flight 93, learned of the other attacks and fought back, crashing the plane into an empty field in western Pennsylvania.
Nealy 3,000 people from 93 nations lost their lives. The 9/11 Memorial opened on September 11, 2011. It is located on the western side of the former World Trade Center complex where the Twin Towers once stood. On this day, please remember to take a moment to acknowledge or pray for those who lost family members or friends during these attacks.
High Holy Days
Rosh Hashanah is believed to mark the date of the creation of the world, and it begins the “Days of Awe,” a 10-day period culminating in Yom Kippur.
The term “Days of Awe” itself is a more literal translation of the Hebrew phrasing used for the High Holy Days.
Concepts of repentance and forgiveness are particularly highlighted in Yom Kippur. Its origins are found in the Hebrew Bible, where it describes the one day a year in which premeditated, intentional sins, such as willfully violating divine commands and prohibitions, were forgiven.
Intentional sins were envisioned as generating impurity in the heart of the temple in Jerusalem, where God was thought to live. Impurity from intentional sins was believed by Israelites to be a threat to this divine presence since God might choose to leave the temple.
The biblical description of Yom Kippur involved a series of sacrifices and rituals designed to remove sin from the people. For example, one goat was thought to bear the sins of the Israelites and was sent off to the wilderness, where it was consumed by Azazel, a mysterious, perhaps demonic force. Azazel consumed the goat and the sins that it carried. The term “scapegoat” in English derives from this act.
Yom Kippur is both the holiest day of the Jewish calendar and also one of the most somber, as the time for repentance includes fasting and prayer.
To learn more about the history and observance of the High Holy Days visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community.
Beginning in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month was originally observed as “Hispanic Heritage Week”, but it was later extended to a month in 1988. Since then, HHM has been celebrated nationwide through festivals, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and much more. The month also celebrates the independence days of several Latin American countries, including: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on September 18th. (ed.gov)
Latinas and Latinos have always held significant roles throughout our country’s history, dating all the way back to the American Revolution. Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it provides an opportunity to celebrate the integral part the Hispanic/Latino community has had in growing and strengthening our democracy.
Representation matters. Latinos and Latinas continue to shape our nation as business owners, activists, artists, public servants, and more. From serving in the U.S. military to being champions in the fight for civil rights, Latinas and Latinos remain strong leaders and changemakers. (latino.si.edu)
The tradition of celebrating the dead during Los Dias de los Muertos, brought to this country by the Mexican people, is not one day, but many. They actually begin a few days before our own Halloween, the 27th or 28th, depending on where you are in Mexico.
People create altars for their beloved dead. These altars are actually doors to the Underworld, through which the dead can reenter this world. Families put photos of the departed, water, their favorite foods and drink to feed the spirits and quench their thirst when they come. Many of the articles that are put on the altar are symbolic, or serve a dual purpose. For example, a favorite brand of cigarette can be to entice someone’s spirit, but tobacco also protects one in the Underworld. Beans are a favorite food of many, but they also symbolize rebirth or the cycle of life.
The reason there are so many Days of the Dead is because different dead are remembered on different days. El Dia de los Angelitos remembers the children who have died. There is a day for remembering those who have drowned, and those who have been murdered. Then there are the established days of All Souls, to remember those who are still in Purgatory and suffering, and All Saints’ day, to remember the saints of the Church, known and unknown. In some parts of Mexico it is a month-long celebration.
Remembering the dearly departed like this is a beautiful way to confront our own mortality.
Rescansa en Paz
To learn more about the history and observance of The Day of the Dead visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
In 2009, the US Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month (FAHM), a monthlong commemoration and appreciation of Filipinos throughout American history. In 2015, President Obama celebrated the first FAHM at the White House. Today, 4.1 million Filipino Americans make up the second-largest Asian American group in the United States and the third-largest ethnic group in California. The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California. Filipino American history facts that you may not know about:
Salamat (thank you) for supporting our Filipino American Community!
On the night of the autumn’s new moon, oil lamps, candles, and tiny string lights are lit to decorate homes, gardens, walls, and businesses to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and the beginnings of the new year. These lit lamps represent goodness, purity and good luck. This bright holiday is a celebration of harvest and thanks. During Diwali, families meet up to eat special foods and pray for their ancestors. In fact, Diwali is India’s most widely celebrated festival.
2023's celebration is on November 12. It lasts for 5 days in India, with the main celebration held on the third day. The day is also celebrated in several South Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Fiji, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Nepal, although it may go by different names in these countries.
The holiday of Diwali is observed by a variety of religions. During Diwali, Hindus celebrate Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. They believe that Maa Laxmi visits the earth blesses followers with health, wealth and prosperity. In Bengal and other parts of Eastern India, Goddess Kali is worshipped instead. For Sikhs, Diwali is the anniversary of Guru Hargobind's release from imprisonment by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. And the Jains celebrate it as the day when the great reformer and teacher Mahavira achieved nirvana.
Fast facts:
To learn more about the history and observance of Diwali, visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
In 1990, U.S. President George H.W. Bush declared the month of November to be “Native American Heritage Month.” It is also referred to as the “National American Indian Heritage Month.” This commemorative month encourages a celebration for and of Native people in the United States to share in their traditional music, crafts, dance and rich cultural legacy.
In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed legislation designating Native American Heritage Day as a civil holiday to be observed on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day to be held on the second Monday of October as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day. Lawmakers from the House and Senate have reintroduced a bill that would establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a Federal Holiday.
Did You Know?
The term “American Indian” came from the Columbus explorations in 1492. The word Indian came to be used because Christopher Columbus repeatedly expressed the mistaken belief that he had reached the shores of South Asia. In the 1960s many activists in the United States and Canada rejected the phrase American Indian; Native American or Indigenous American soon became the preferred term of reference. Today, people are encouraged to use appropriate tribe names, such as Hopi or Yakama, when possible.
There are 574 federally recognized Indian Nations (also referred to as tribes) in the United States. The most populous tribes include the Cherokee, the Navajo and the Choctaw. The US Constitution recognizes that tribal nations are sovereign governments (able to self-govern on their own land). According to the 2020 Census, there are over 6 million individuals in the U.S. who identify as full or part Native American.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also called the Iroquois Confederacy)was formed by the tribal nations of: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca around 1142. It is considered one of the oldest participatory democracies on earth. Back when it was illegal for women in every state to vote and only white men could vote in the United States, the women citizens of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy had full and equal participation in their democratic government.
When English settlers first arrived in North America, many of their first encounters were with the Algonquian people (Wampanoag, Powhatan, and Lumbee tribes). Not surprisingly, many Algonquian words were adopted by the English, including "toboggan," "potato," “skunk,” “moose,” and "caucus."
Locally:
The Ohlone are the predominant Indigenous group of the Bay Area. The Ohlone family of tribes have been living in the Bay Area for 10,000 years. In pre-colonial times, the Ohlone lived in more than 50 distinct landholding groups, and did not view themselves as a single unified group. The population of the Ohlone was drastically reduced due to disease introduced by the California Missions and a genocide sanctioned by the state in the wake of the Gold Rush.
There are hundreds of Native American languages spoken in the United States today. As an older generation of speakers dies out, many languages run the risk of extinction. Chochenyo is one of the Ohlone languages. It is the indigenous language to the inner East Bay.
Ohlone shellmounds are human-made mounds that were built up over thousands of years consisting of layers of earth, shells, and burials. Their height, sometimes taller than 30 feet, served as a focal point to navigate across the bay waters or to communicate with other tribes. Generations returned to these shellmounds, using the sites to bury their dead and pray for their ancestors. The Emeryville shellmound was the biggest one recorded in the Bay Area, more than three stories high and 350 feet in diameter. The City of Berkeley landmarked the 5,700-year-old West Berkeley Shellmound in 2000. The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed it as one of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America.
To learn more about the Native American History visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
World AIDS Day is a global public health campaign originating from the World Health Organization, uniting people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 each year.
According to the United Nations, over 40 million people have died from HIV/AIDS since the start of the epidemic in the 1980’s. Although there has been significant progress in addressing HIV/AIDS thanks to advancements in medical research, increased access to treatment and prevention, and a broader understanding of the virus, HIV has not gone away. There is still a critical need for awareness on the impact of HIV on people’s lives, on discrimination of those infected, and to improve the quality of life of those currently living with the virus. World AIDS Day reminds us to remember those we have lost to the disease as well as encouraging us to better understand and treat the virus.
What is AIDS?
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus which attacks the white blood cells that help the body fight infection, weakening the immune system and making a person more vulnerable to other infections. It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex or through sharing injection drug equipment. If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
HIV can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, age, or where they live. Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV; around 13 percent of them do not realize that they have it (data from HIV.gov). When people are first exposed to HIV, about half of them don’t initially notice any signs of illness. The other half have flu-like symptoms two to four weeks after they’re infected. Early HIV diagnosis is crucial.The routine HIV test may not become positive for several weeks after infection. For this reason, people who suspect that they’ve been exposed to HIV may need to get re-tested after several weeks. People at higher risk of acquiring (or exposure to) HIV should be tested at least annually.
How is HIV Treated?
The human body is unable to get rid of HIV. Fortunately, effective treatment with HIV medicine is available. If taken daily, as prescribed, HIV medicine can reduce the viral load of HIV in the blood to a very low level. People with HIV who take prescribed HIV medicine may live long and healthy lives without developing AIDS. Additionally, for those at high risk of contracting HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicines may lower the risk of acquiring the disease.
The red ribbon is the universal symbol of awareness and support for people living with HIV. It was developed in 1991 by a group of New York artists working for the HIV-awareness group, Visual AIDS. Red was chosen for boldness and the symbolic association with love.
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To learn more about Black American History, visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.
The winter solstice falls on December 21 in 2023. In the northern hemisphere, it is usually December 21 or 22 (in the southern hemisphere the winter solstice is June 21 or 22). The winter solstice is the date in which the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, producing the shortest day of the year with the longest night. The winter solstice is also referred to as midwinter (although it is not the middle of our traditionally established winter season). This day has been historically important in cultural and spiritual practices throughout the world as it marks the symbolic rebirth of the Sun and the continuation of nature.
The reduction in daylight during the winter solstice has been the source for numerous myths among ancient civilizations regarding cycles of birth, death and rebirth.
Throughout the world, many monuments and structures were built to align with the winter solstice. The Stonehenge ring in England is one of the most famous; however, even here in the United States, indigenous people constructed similar structures, such as the Cahokia Woodhenge ring built around 1000 CE in present-day Illinois. A little closer to home, many of our California Mission churches are constructed for solar illuminations, highlighting particular sacred religious objects on the winter solstice. In fact, 14 of the 21 California missions were sited to produce illuminations on solstices or equinoxes. This was intentionally done by the mission architects to meld the Catholic beliefs with those of the native population, who tracked and celebrated the solstice.
To learn more about the winter solstice and the traditions around it visit the Merritt College Library or your local public library.