Adamson Act
2029-09-03
On this day in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Adamson Act, which established an eight-hour workday, with additional pay for overtime work for railroad workers. The Act was the culmination of organizing by railroad workers and the first federal law to regulate the hours of workers in private companies. Discuss the importance of unions and worker rights on this anniversary, and cite the values of Economic Security, Voice, and Community.

Labor Day
2029-09-03
Labor Day honors the contributions of American workers and the labor movement (the people who brought you the weekend, the eight-hour work day and improved working conditions). Use this holiday to highlight the importance of worker rights, including the right to organize and join a union.

NFL Season Starts
2029-09-05
Today, the National Football League (NFL) kicks off its regular season. When former quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the 2017 NFL season, he transformed the playing field into a platform for change, sparking a national dialogue about police brutality and racial inequity. His courageous stand—and the price he paid for it—demonstrated how cultural influencers can shift narratives and inspire movements. Use this day to discuss the power of cultural influencers in sparking conversations that lead to lasting change. Cite the values of Voice and Equality.

Birth of Jane Addams
2029-09-06
The “mother of social work,” Jane Addams, was also born on this day in 1860. Use this news hook to talk about the role of our nation’s public welfare programs in reducing poverty. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.

National Food Bank Day
2029-09-07
Hunger Action Month continues with National Food Bank Day when communities recognize the importance of fighting hunger. Use this day to extend the conversation to focus on the underlying economic injustices that create hunger. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.

Larry Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Strike
2029-09-08
On this day in 1965, Larry Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee led 1,000 Filipino workers to strike against Delano, California grape growers. They demanded the federal minimum wage and the right to form a union. When the farmers hired Mexican workers rather than give in to the strikers demands, Itliong partnered with Cezar Chavez’s National Farm Workers to come up with a plan that benefited both groups. Itliong and Chavez combined their organizations to form the United Farm Workers Union. Cite the values of Equality, Voice, and Economic Security when discussing this anniversary.

Anniversary of Attica Uprising
2029-09-09
The Attica Uprising in New York State occurred on this day. From September 9-13, 1,300 incarcerated men took control of the Attica Correctional Facility and made a series of demands to prison administrators. In the assault by state police to retake the prison, 39 people were killed. Use this anniversary to talk about the need for decarceration, made more urgent by the threat of COVID-19 to the health of people incarcerated in inhumane facilities. Cite the values of Voice, Equal Justice, and Redemption.

Anniversary of Attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon
2029-09-11
Twenty-three years have passed since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. In addition to remembering and honoring those who lost their lives, we must continue to rise above hate and anti-Muslim racism. Cite the values of Community and Voice when discussing this anniversary.

Welcoming Week
2029-09-12 - 2029-09-21
Observed since 2012, Welcoming Week is an initiative of Welcoming America that lifts up the work of local communities to become more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Use this week to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.
Take Action: See the Welcoming Week Toolkit for messaging guidance, social media assets, tips for hosting an event and sample proclamations or resolutions for state and local governments.

Anniversary of Forced Sterilizations at Ice Detention Center
2029-09-14
On this day in 2020, a harrowing whistleblower complaint revealed immigrant women were allegedly subjected to forced sterilizations at a for-profit ICE detention center. Dawn Wooten, a nurse employed at the Irwin County Detention Center, detailed an alarming pattern of non-consensual medical procedures and negligence in protecting people at the facility from COVID-19. When discussing this event cite the values of Human Rights, Equality and connect it to the United States’ larger history of coercive sterilizations and medical experiments on vulnerable populations, particularly Black, Indigenous and Latinx women.

National Hispanic Heritage Month
2029-09-15
September 15 – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, which honors the contributions made by Hispanic and Latinx Americans to the United States. Use this month to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.

Anniversary of Bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church
2029-09-15
On this day in 1963, white supremacists bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, killing four young girls. The event was a turning point in the civil rights movement. It’s an important reminder of our nation’s deep-rooted history of white supremacist resistance and violence in response to progress toward true racial and economic justice. When talking about this anniversary, refer to the values of Community, Voice, and Equality.

Occupy Wall Street Anniversary Protest
2029-09-17
On this day in 2011, Occupy Wall Street protesters called out the nation’s economic inequality in the United States with a takeover of Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. Their campaign spurred a national conversation and provides an opportunity to talk about economic injustice. Cite the values of Voice, Community, and Economic Security when talking about this anniversary.

Citizenship Day
2029-09-17
Today is Citizenship Day, the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. This is also known as Citizenship Week. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services encourages us to use this week to “reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and what it means to be a U.S. citizen.” It’s a good time to remind your audiences of our deeply held values around citizenship like Community and Voice.

Anniversary of Passing: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
2029-09-18
Today marks the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A graduate of Harvard Law School and the founding director of the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU, Ginsburg’s legacy re-wrote the rules on gender discrimination and upheld key protections on a full range of civil rights issues. Her impact transcended courts and made her a cultural icon. Her judicial record was mixed on issues of race and criminal justice, with particularly damaging decisions impacting indigenous rights. Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Opportunity when discussing her legacy.

National Voter Registration Day
2029-09-18
On National Voter Registration Day, encourage your audiences to register to vote, the most powerful tool we have for making our voices heard. The onslaught of voter restriction measures introduced and passed since the 2020 election affirms how critical expanding access to the polls is to our democracy. Cite the value of Voice and Equality.

Anniversary of Hurricane Maria
2029-09-20
On this day in 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico with devastating effects. Use this anniversary to discuss the need for equitable infrastructure and emergency planning. Discuss the values of Community and Opportunity.

Birthdays of John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, and Mary Church Terrell
2029-09-23
Today is the birthday of several artist-activists: John Coltrane (1926), Ray Charles (1930), Bruce Springsteen (1949). The music of Coltrane, Charles, and Springsteen often focused on social justice issues and they personally funded the work of many activists. African American suffragette Mary Church Terrell (1863) was also born on this day. She was an early advocate for civil rights and a charter member — and first president — of the NAACP. Use these lives to talk about the role of activists, artists, and cultural workers in shaping social justice narratives. Cite the values of Voice and Equality.

David Walker's An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World
2029-09-28
Also on this day in 1829, David Walker published the pamphlet, An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World. Walker circulated copies via underground networks to empower enslaved people throughout the South. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice and Equality.

The Great Recession
2029-09-29
In 2008, the U.S. Stock Market crashed, contributing to the start of The Great Recession. It’s an important time to talk about how many communities and American families had hardly recovered from this economic downturn before entering the economic downturn and job losses caused by COVID-19. Cite the values of Economic Opportunity and Community when talking about this anniversary.

Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act
2029-09-30
On this day in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Use this hook to talk about how the law criminalized thousands of people and led to the deportation of more than 4 million people. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security when talking about this anniversary.

Filipino American History Month
2029-10-01
It’s also Filipino American History Month. First recognized by Congress in 2009, this celebration commemorates the arrival of the first Filipino immigrants to the United States, who landed in what is now Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.

Mental Illness Awareness Week
2029-10-05 - 2029-10-11
Each year, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) leads Mental Illness Awareness Week on the first week of October. This annual observation seeks to challenge stigma and misunderstanding by showing that mental illness affects everyone directly or indirectly through family, friends or coworkers. Use this week to talk about how mental illness intersects with poverty and criminal justice. Discuss the need for government support of individuals and families dealing with mental illness. Cite the values of community and safety.

Birth of Fannie Lou Hamer
2029-10-06
On Oct. 6, 1917, voting and women’s rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was born in Mississippi. She co-founded the the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which challenged the all-white delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention where Hamer testified. She asked: “Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings?” Use Hamer’s birthday to discuss voter registration and rights. Cite the values of Community, Voice, and Economic Security.

World Day against the Death Penalty
2029-10-10
Today is World Day against the Death Penalty. Use this hook to talk about how the U.S. criminal justice system is overly punitive, costly, and racially biased. Also discuss how fewer and fewer Americans support the death penalty. Cite the values of Redemption and Voice.

White House Cornerstone is Laid
2029-10-13
On this day in 1792, the cornerstone of the White House was laid. As former First Lady Michelle Obama noted, she “[woke] up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.” Use this anniversary to counter opposition attacks on critical race theory by lifting up the importance of an honest and truthful recounting of our nation’s legacy of racial injustice. Cite the values of Voice and Equality.

Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
2029-10-15
On Oct. 15, 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was founded to seek justice for African Americans and other oppressed communities through a combination of revolutionary theory, education, and community programs. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Economic Security, Voice, and Community.

World Food Day
2029-10-16
It’s also World Food Day, which the United Nations created to focus on how people and communities can take action to end hunger. Use this hook to talk about ending hunger and poverty in the United States. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community.

The Clean Water Act
2029-10-18
On this day in 1972, The Clean Water Act became law. Despite these protections, hundreds of thousands of Americans are exposed to contaminated drinking water. Use this anniversary to discuss the importance of equitable investments in infrastructure improvements. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.

First African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives.
2029-10-19
On this day in 1870, the first African Americans were elected to the House of Representatives. In South Carolina, Black Republicans won three of the state’s four congressional seats. The Zinn Education Project points out that Reconstruction, the era immediately following the Civil War and emancipation, “is full of stories that help us see the possibility of a future defined by racial equity.” Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Voice and Community.
