Respect for Ancestors Day (Thanh Minh) : Vietnam.  This is similar to the holiday in all other Asian cultures for paying respects to one’s ancestors by visiting and decorating their graves. (m)

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 National Day : Senegal.  This day commemorates Senegal's gaining full independence from France in 1960.

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 Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) : African American.  Educator. Organizer and first director of the Normal and Industrial Institute for Negroes at Tuskegee, Alabama (later Tuskegee Institute), Washington became the nation's foremost advocate of education for African Americans. His cautious and conciliatory approach to race relations was criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois and other leaders who urged more active efforts to achieve civil and political rights for Black Americans.

 Respect for Ancestors Day (Ch'ing-ming) : China.  This is also called Cold Food Day. It is the only traditional Chinese holiday celebrated according to the solar calendar. This is a day for paying homage to one's ancestors by visiting graves and leaving flowers and food. (m)

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 Chakri Day : Thailand.  This holiday commemorates the founding of the present dynasty by King Rama I (1782–1809).

 Tartan Day : United States.  Tartan Day was established by an act of Congress in 1998 to recognize the role Scottish Americans played in the founding of the nation and to acknowledge the many contributions that have been made by people of Scottish ancestry. Some notable Americans of Scottish descent include John Witherspoon, who served in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence, and was president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University); Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first secretary of the treasury and leader of the Federalist Party; Andrew Carnegie, the great industrialist and philanthropist; Woodrow Wilson, the twenty-eighth president of the United States; and Sir Alexander Fleming, the bacteriologist who discovered penicillin. Tartan Day also commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence, on April 6, 1320. (See entry for Robert Burns on January 25.)

 Ramanavami (rama-na-vamee) (Birthday of Rama) : Hindu.  The story of Rama, one of the incarnations of the god Vishnu, is told in the Ramayana, which along with the Mahabharata is one of the great epic poems of Hinduism. Rama is celebrated in literature, music, and art throughout India and Southeast Asia. This holiday is observed with sanctity and fasting. Temples are decorated and parts of the Ramayana are recited at home.

Recognizing the Festival/Holiday: Fasting is part of the celebration of this holiday. You should check before involving food as part of your visit. Also, keep in mind that Hindus neither eat meat nor drink alcoholic beverages. “God bless you with prosperity and happiness” or “I wish you happiness and prosperity” are appropriate greetings for all Hindu holidays. (m)

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 François Dominique Toussaint-Louverture (c. 1743–1803) : Haitian.  Military and political leader. Born a slave on the island of Saint-Domingue, a French colony (later called Haiti), Toussaint-Louverture became the leader of his country's independence movement. As a guerrilla leader of insurgent slaves, Toussaint-Louverture sided with the French Republic in 1793 when other rebel leaders supported Spain's war against France. Appointed lieutenant governor of the colony, he succeeded in driving out the Spanish and the British. In 1801, defying Napoleon's orders, he freed the slaves on the island and established an independent government with himself at its head. After an invasion by French troops, he was removed from office, then arrested and imprisoned in Switzerland, where he died in captivity on this date in 1803.

 Founder's Day : Vietnam.  This holiday commemorates the founding of the Vietnamese nation by King Hung Vuong around 1000 B.C.E. (m)

 The Annunciation : Coptic Orthodox Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian.  This holy date celebrates the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of Galilee that she would become the mother of Jesus. This is the date according to the Julian calendar followed by Coptic Orthodox Christians and several Eastern Orthodox Christian denominations.

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 Ramón Emeterio Betances (1827–1898) : Puerto Rican.  Physician, writer, and revolutionary leader. Betances studied medicine in Paris and lived there most of his life, working from exile for the cause of Puerto Rican independence and the abolition of slavery while writing fiction, journalism, and translations from Latin. His "Ten Commandments of Free Men," issued on November 4, 1867, while he was living on the island of St. Thomas, sets forth the ideals of political and social justice to which he dedicated his life. (See entry for September 23.)

 Dennis Chávez (1888–1962) : Mexican American.  Legislator. A Democrat from New Mexico, Chávez served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931 to 1935, when he was appointed to a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. Elected in his own right in 1936, he won reelection four times, serving until his death. During his career he championed bills to benefit American Indians and Puerto Ricans, and as a founder and later member of the federal Fair Employment Practices Commission, worked to outlaw racial and religious discrimination in the workplace.

 Buddha's Birth (c. 563–483 B.C.E.) : Buddhist.  Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as Buddha, or "enlightened one," was an Indian prince who left his family at the age of 29 to seek the truth of life. After years of wandering, meditation, and self-denial, he attained the enlightenment he sought at a place now called Buddha Gaya or Bodh Gaya. The religion he founded spread throughout central and Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea, and has also attracted followers in the West. It is celebrated on this day in the Mahãyãna Buddhist tradition based on the Japanese Buddhist calendar.

Recognizing the Festival/Holiday: “Happy Buddha’s Birthday” is a common greeting.

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 Chandler Hovey, Jr. (?–1998) : American, People with Disabilities.  Lawyer and sailor. A lawyer until his retirement from a New York investment banking firm, Hovey and his family had a long association with sailboat competition, particularly the America's Cup. This involvement continued even after Hovey began to suffer from multiple sclerosis in 1947. He used crutches during sailing trials competition, and in 1995 the Independence Cup, the national trophy for the disabled, was named in his honor. This is the date of his death.

 Paul Robeson (1898–1976) : African American.  Singer and actor. A bass-baritone, Robeson won international acclaim for concert performances of classical works, spirituals, and folk songs, and for stage performances, particularly in the title role of Shakespeare's Othello.

 Martyrs' Day : Tunisia.  Public holiday.

 Valor Day : Philippines.  This marks the anniversary of the forced march to a prison camp of 70,000 Americans and Filipinos captured on Bataan in 1942 by the Japanese. Only 54,000 prisoners survived the march; 7,000–10,000 died and the rest escaped into the jungle.

 Palm Sunday : Christian.  On the Sunday before Easter, Christians remember Jesus' last entry into Jerusalem, when his way was strewn with palms by those gathered to see him. Churches, therefore, are decorated with palm. In England and Russia, where palm is unobtainable, pussy willow is used instead. Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, the most important week of the Christian year. In Spain and Mexico many communities have penitential processions often lit by candles and people sometime flagellate themselves to reenact Jesus' suffering. Some communities perform traditional passion plays. The Lenten fast is strictest on Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified. Holy Week or Semana Santa in Spanish, is Mexico's biggest holiday period with many cities holding candlelight processions. (m)

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 Maulid an-Nabi (Prophet Muhammad's Birthday) : Islam.  This occurs on the 12th day of the Muslim month of Rabi ul-Awwal and marks the birth of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, in 570 A.C.E. (m)

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 Anniversary of the Battle of Rivas : Costa Rica.  Public holiday.

 Mahavir Jayanti : Jain.  Jainism is a religious system practiced by approximately 2 million people in India. It arose in the 6th century B.C.E. as a protest against some aspects of Hinduism. This festival is dedicated to the birthday of Jain, the religion's twenty-fourth Guru. It is celebrated with prayer and visits to shrines. (m)

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 Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) : Irish.  Playwright and novelist. The winner of the 1969 Nobel Prize for literature, Beckett is best known for his novels and plays in which characters are confronted with mysterious situations in bizarre, timeless settings.

 Founding of the University of Mexico (1551) : Mexico.  The University of Mexico was the first university to be founded in the Western Hemisphere.

 New Year : Cambodia, Laos.  This is one of the most important holidays. In the morning food is brought to Buddhist temples, and in the evening more secular celebrations with food and music are held. The holiday continues through April 15.

 Passover (First day of 8-day observance) : Jewish.  This holiday, which is observed for eight days, celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Moses, an Israelite born into slavery, raised in the Pharoah's household, and later banished as a young man for defending his people, returned to Egypt and confronted the Pharaoh in the name of God, demanding freedom for his people. The Pharaoh capitulated only after God sent ten plagues, the last of which killed the first son of every Egyptian family, including that of the Pharaoh. The Israelites marked their doors to identify their homes for the angel of death, who passed over and spared them. Moses then led the Israelites through the desert for 40 years until they reached Palestine. The celebration of Passover, a spring festival commemorating freedom and new life, begins the previous evening with a Seder, a meal during which the story of Passover is read from the Haggadah. The menu includes a number of traditional foods such as matzoh, or unleavened bread, which recalls the unleavened bread eaten by the Israelites in the desert. (m)

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 Pan American Day : Latin America.  Pan American Day has been observed each year since 1931 on April 14 by the twenty-one American republics. The holiday honors the bonds of friendship between the United States and the nations of Latin America.

 Good Friday : Christian.  This is the day Christians commemorate Jesus' crucifixion. (m)

 Vaisakhi (New Year) : Sikh.  This is the beginning of the new year for the Sikhs, one of the largest religious groups in India. It commemorates Guru Gobind Singh's founding of Khalsa, the ritual of bringing all those who become Sikhs into a community of equals. This is the date based on the both the Bikarami calendar (See entry for January 9) and the Nanakshahi calendar. (See entry for January 5).

 Vaisakhi (vye-sak-hee) (New Year) : Hindu.  This celebrates the new year based on the Hindu calendar.

Recognizing the Festival/Holiday: “Happy New Year,” “God bless you with prosperity and happiness,” or “I wish you happiness and prosperity” are appropriate greetings for all Hindu holidays. (m)

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 A(sa) Philip Randolph (1889–1982) : African American.  This is the holiest day for Christians. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus after he was crucified and died in Jerusalem. It is Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, often referred to as the "passion," followed by his resurrection that is central to Christian faith. Easter culminates the penitential period that starts with Ash Wednesday. Palm Sunday, which marks the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, occurs one week before Easter. Easter is a joyous holiday, since it marks for Christians the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. In addition to its religious significance, Easter is also celebrated as a spring holiday with themes of rebirth, gathering together with family and friends, and sharing special foods. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate this holiday.

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 José de Diego (1866–1918) : Puerto Rico.  Attorney, poet, and patriot. A public holiday honoring this eloquent orator and accomplished poet José de Diego wrote and spoke in support of the independence of his homeland. He served as Secretary of Justice in the short-lived government of 1897, after Spain had granted autonomy to the island and before the United States re-imposed its governance. He later became first president of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives. As a prominent political figure, he opposed the Jones Act establishing Puerto Rico as a commonwealth of the United States. (See entry for March 2.)

 Easter : Christian.  This is the holiest day for Christians. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus after he was crucified and died in Jerusalem. It is Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, often referred to as the "passion," followed by his resurrection that is central to Christian faith. Easter culminates the penitential period that starts with Ash Wednesday. Palm Sunday, which marks the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, occurs one week before Easter. Easter is a joyous holiday, since it marks for Christians the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. In addition to its religious significance, Easter is also celebrated as a spring holiday with themes of rebirth, gathering together with family and friends, and sharing special foods. Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate this holiday. (m)

 Palm Sunday : Coptic Orthodox Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian.  Palm Sunday is observed on this day by several Eastern Orthodox Churches that use the Julian calendar. (m)

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 Easter Monday (observed as a public holiday in many countries) : Christian.  The days from Good Friday through the Monday after Easter are public holidays in many countries. Governmental services and banks are closed, and most people have time off from work. Countries for which this is the case include England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, Australia, Austria, France, and Germany. When making plans, please check to see whether or not this holiday is observed. (m)

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 Independence Day : Zimbabwe.  Zimbabwe, formerly called Rhodesia, gained independence from Great Britain on this day in 1980.

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 Glenn Seaborg (1912-1999) : Scandinavian American.  Scientist and governmental advisor. Although a chemist by training, Dr. Seaborg did much of his work in nuclear physics, leading the research that created nine artificial elements, including plutonium. In 1951, he shared the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for these achievements. Dr. Seaborg became the director of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and remained emeritus director after he retired. He was a scientific advisor to a number of presidents, serving as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission for 10 years. He also served as chancellor of the University of California.

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 Tito Puente (1923–2000) : Puerto Rican.  Musician and bandleader. A pioneer in bringing Latin music to the United States, he brought percussion to the center of his orchestral presentations with the Tio Puente Orchestra. He became known as the “Mambo King”. He also was a leader in fusing Latin rhythms with jazz and other forms of music. He recorded over 120 albums including Cuban Carnival, Mamborama, The Legend, and Tito Puente Live at Birdland Dancemania '99.

 First Day of Summer : Iceland.  Iceland is the only country in the world that celebrates the first day of summer as a national holiday. According to the old Icelandic almanac, the year was divided into two seasons: winter and summer. Summer began in April, heralding the reappearance of the sun and marking the beginning of the growing season. After the long, dark winter, the first day of summer was a day of celebration throughout Iceland. The people of Iceland still celebrate this first day of “summer” by the giving of summer gifts, or sumargjafir. Festivities include parades, sporting events, and other entertainment. (m)

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 Tiradentes Day : Brazil.  This commemorates the execution on this day in 1792 of Jose da Silva Xavier, a leader of the revolt against Portugal.

 Festival of Ridvan : Baha'i.  On the first, ninth, and twelfth day of the Baha'i month of Ridvan (April 21, 29, and May 2), Baha'is commemorate the declaration of Baha'u'llah in 1863 of his mission as the last messenger of God to the world. Although Baha'is observe all twelve days, these three days are ones on which they refrain from work. The word "Ridvan" means paradise, and refers to the garden in Baghdad where Baha'u'llah proclaimed his mission as the prophet of God.

 Holy Friday (Great Friday) : Coptic Orthodox Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian.  Also known as Great Friday, this is the day Coptic Orthodox Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion. (m)

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 Sovereignty Day : Turkey.  Public holiday.

 St. George's Day : England.  This is also considered England’s national day. Like all the other countries of the United Kingdom, England has its patron saint. St. George, whose emblem is a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. St George's emblem was adopted by Richard the Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king's soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid confusion in battle. St George was a brave Roman soldier who protested against the Romans' torture of Christians and died for his beliefs. The popularity of St George in England stems from the time of the early Crusades when it is said that the Normans saw him in a vision and were victorious. St. George's Day is the day for wearing a red rose, England’s national flower, in the button hole. However, unlike other countries, England does not celebrate it like Americans celebrate July 4 with fireworks. For most people in England St George's Day is just another ordinary day.

 Easter (Pascha) : Coptic Orthodox Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christian.  Easter is celebrated on this day by several Eastern Orthodox Christian denominations. In the Orthodox church, the celebration of Easter begins just before midnight on Holy Saturday with the lighting of candles during Easter midnight mass. (m)

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 Genocide Memorial Day : Armenia.  This day, also known as Armenian Martyrs Day, commemorates the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915–1916. Most Armenians living in the United States are the children or grandchildren of survivors of the genocide. This day has been chosen to commemorate this tragic event since on this day in 1915, many of Armenia's leading politicians, writers, and professionals in Constantinople were deported and/or killed.

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 Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) : African American.  Singer. Ella Fitzgerald, who was to win more Grammy Awards than any other jazz musician, began as a singer with Chick Webb and his band. She later sang with Dizzy Gillespie and became known for her improvisations and "scat" singing, playing with words and musical notes. She demonstrated expert taste in material. Her recorded songbooks of music by the Gershwins, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and others remain definitive. Lyricists loved to have her record their works; her razor sharpness guaranteed that every word would be meaningful. Composers loved her dedication to melody, and jazz musicians loved her improvisation. Along with Billie Holiday, she is generally considered to be one of the greatest female jazz singers of her generation.

 Anzac Day : Australia, New Zealand.  This is Australia's most important national occasion of commemoration, marking the anniversary of the first major military action by Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during World War I. Religious services are held at dawn across the nation. Later in the day, former servicemen and women meet and join in special marches, rekindling memories of their experiences. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country, including observing one or two minutes of silence.

 Liberation Day : Italy.  This commemorates the day in 1945 that Italy was liberated from German occupation during World War II.

 Liberation Day : Portugal.  This commemorates the bloodless revolution in 1974 that overthrew the dictatorial regime of Antonío Salazar and the reestablishment of democracy.

 Sinai Liberation Day : Egypt.  This day commemorates the signing of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1982.

 Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) : Jewish.  This day has been designated by Israel's Knesset, or Parliament, as a memorial to the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis in their program of mass extermination of all Jews in Germany and the countries under German occupation. This program, building on long-standing anti-Semitism, began with arrests and imprisonment of Jews in the early 1930's and extended in the 1940's to forcing Jews into slave labor camps and extermination in death camps such as Treblinka, Sobibor, and Auschwitz. (m)

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 Freedom Day : South Africa.  This commemorates the day in 1994 when for the first time all South Africans had the right to vote.

 Gathering of Nations Powwow (4/27-4/29) : American Indian.  This three-day event, held annually at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, is the largest powwow in North America. More than five hundred tribes from Canada and the United States come every year to participate in this celebration of American Indian culture, which features drum groups and ceremonial singing, chanting, and dancing in traditional dress. There are exhibitions of American Indian artifacts and authentic Indian crafts for sale. The Gathering of Nations organization seeks to promote the traditions and culture of the American Indian people in the most positive manner possible and to dispel stereotypes created about the Indian people. The powwow provides educators with an opportunity to develop instructional materials on Indian history and culture for elementary and secondary schools. (m)

 Independence Day : Sierra Leone.  This day commemorates Sierra Leone's gaining independence from Great Britain in 1961.

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 Ann Petry (1908–1997) : African American.  Writer. Born in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Ann Petry later married and moved to Harlem where she held a variety of jobs, including editor of the women's pages of The People's Voice, a weekly paper started by Adam Clayton Powell Jr. She published a story—"On Saturday, the Sirens at Noon"—in The Crisis, the magazine of the NAACP, that was later expanded into a novel and published by Houghton Mifflin in 1946 as The Street. This novel was the first major literary work to focus on everyday life in Harlem. It achieved critical and popular acclaim, selling 1.5 million copies. This is the day of her death.

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 Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington (1899–1974) : African American.  Composer, pianist, and jazz orchestra leader. A prolific composer and arranger and brilliant leader whose orchestra included some of the finest jazz soloists of his time, Ellington was one of the preeminent figures in jazz from the 1920s until his death. His compositions include such classic songs as "Mood Indigo" and "Satin Doll," and concert works on jazz themes—some of them with religious texts.

 Golden Week (April 29–May 5) : Japan.  This is a holiday period that incorporates Greenery Day on April 29, Constitution Day on May 3, Holiday for a Nation on May 3, and Children's Day on May 5. This is a period when children have vacation from school and many workers have time off.

 Greenery Day (Midori No Hi) : Japan.  This was originally the day to celebrate the birthday of the Showa Emperor, but it is now also celebrated as a day for fostering the planting of trees and other vegetation.

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 Feast of Valborg : Sweden.  Public holiday.

 Queen's Day : Netherlands.  Public holiday.

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