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Heritage Months/ Group Recognition Resources

Heritage Months/ Group Recognition Resources

The Castro Valley Board of Education has proclaimed Heritage Months/Group Recognitions throughout each school year. This page is dedicated to sharing resources with our community and district educators to recognize the group highlighted for the month. Each month listed is the month that CVUSD officially acknowledges that heritage/group; however, we understand and agree that celebrating each group throughout the year is one of the ways that we create a sense of belonging for all of our students.

Illustration celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with diverse figures.

MAY IS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

In 1977 Jeanie Jew, then president of the Organization of Chinese Americans, was concerned about the lack of recognition of the Asian Pacific American communities during the celebration of the bicentennial. With the help of multiple politicians, Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Week was created in 1978. May was later designated as Asian - Pacific American Heritage Month in 1990 and renamed Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2009. This month celebrates the history, achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States. The month of May was chosen to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, as well as the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 19, 1869, thanks in large part to the work of as many as 20,000 Chinese immigrant laborers. The AAPI community represents over 30 countries and ethnic groups that speak over 100 languages.

  • The Castro Valley Board of Education has proclaimed Heritage Months/Group Recognitions throughout each school year. This page is dedicated to sharing resources with our community and district educators to recognize the group highlighted for the month. Each month listed is the month that CVUSD officially acknowledges that heritage/group; however, we understand and agree that celebrating each group throughout the year is one of the ways that we create a sense of belonging for all of our students.

    Illustration celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with diverse figures.

    MAY IS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

    In 1977 Jeanie Jew, then president of the Organization of Chinese Americans, was concerned about the lack of recognition of the Asian Pacific American communities during the celebration of the bicentennial. With the help of multiple politicians, Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Week was created in 1978. May was later designated as Asian - Pacific American Heritage Month in 1990 and renamed Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2009. This month celebrates the history, achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the United States. The month of May was chosen to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, as well as the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 19, 1869, thanks in large part to the work of as many as 20,000 Chinese immigrant laborers. The AAPI community represents over 30 countries and ethnic groups that speak over 100 languages.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources

March - Women's History Month

Women's rights activists stand together against a vibrant pink background, symbolizing unity and empowerment.

MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California in 1978 by The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women. The  week of March 8 corresponds with International Women’s Day. The Women’s History Week movement spread across the country.  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. In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as "Women's History Month".

Women's History Month Resources

 

February-African-American/Black Heritage Month

A diverse group of people celebrating Black History Month with banners, music, and traditional attire in a vibrant community event.

FEBRUARY IS BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

African-American/Black Heritage Month Resources

November - Native American Heritage Month

Smithsonian Celebrates American Indian Heritage Month | Smithsonian Institution

NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. It is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

Native American Heritage Month Resources

September 15th - October 15th - Hispanic Heritage Month

A group of women in traditional Mexican costumes proudly holding flags, celebrating cultural heritage and unity.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 - October 15th. September 15th is an important starting date for this month because it is the independence anniversary for Latin American countries El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. The independence days of Mexico and Chile fall on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Dia de la Raza also falls within this month, on October 12. Hispanic Americans have been integral to the prosperity of the U.S. and their substantial contributions to our nation are immeasurable.

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources 

June- Pride Month

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 which marks the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory practices and laws agains LGBTQ+ Americans. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals have had and continue to have currently and historically, locally, nationally, and internationally.


Pride Month Resources