Stay timely and learn more about the August Days to Remember, including holidays, awareness campaigns, cultural celebrations, and days of remembrance taking place this month.
Thursday, August 4
California’s Proposition 8 is struck down as unconstitutional
You’ve probably heard of “Prop 8.” Here’s what happened. In May of 2008, California legalized marriage equality. However, that November, voters approved Proposition 8. This was ballot measure. It created an amendment to the California Constitution that made same-sex marriage illegal. The measure stayed on the books for five years. After protests and lawsuits, the California Supreme Court eventually struck it down. This provide marriage equality in California. Of course, due to Obergfell v. Hodges, marriage equality is now the law of the land!
Saturday, August 6
Voting Rights Act becomes law (1965)
The 15th Amendment (1870) guaranteed Black men the right to vote. The 19th Amendment (see August 26) delivered Black women the right to vote, too. However, even though voting was legal, many states and towns passed laws that made voting impossible. These laws — plus constant threats and intimidation — suppressed the vote. So, this is where the federal Voting Rights Act comes it. It made it illegal for local governments to pass laws that effectively denied certain races the right to vote. The act was later gutted.
Monday, August 8
International Cat Day
We should always celebrate cats. Not to be confused with National Black Cat Appreciation Day (August 17th) or Hug Your Cat Day (June 4th), International Cat Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate our furry, mysterious, playful companions. The International Fund for Animal Welfare established this fun day in 2002. Note: This is our Chief Feline Officers Fitzy and Catsby’s favorite holiday!
Tuesday, August 9
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
Created by the United Nations (UN), the goal of this day is to raise awareness of issues that affect indigenous peoples around the globe. These include:
- better economic outcomes;
- migration and land rights;
and recognition of cultural traditions.
Learn more about this awareness day.
National Book Lover’s Day
Book lovers, this day is for you! Bibliophiles and bookworms rise up. On this day, all over the country, celebrate your favorite hobby: reading. Why not visit a bookstore or a library? Or, just find a comfortable place to spend the day reading! If you’re looking for more unique ways to enjoy this day, check out this article.
Pres. Nixon resigns.
On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon became the first (but hopefully not the last!!!) president to resign. His resignation came after more than two years of scandal and many televised hearings. As a result, his popularity dropped, among both the American public and fellow politicians. A month after his resignation, he received a full pardon from his replacement. Nixon died in 1994.
Friday, August 12
International Youth Day
2019 marks the 19th anniversary of this awareness day established by the UN. With this day, the UN hopes that governments and NGOs worldwide increase their attention to issues affecting young people. Like many UN awareness days, International Youth Day has a different focus every year. The 2019 theme is “Transforming Education.” To participate in the official UN event, visit the United Nations IYD 2019 site.
Monday, August 15
Woodstock begins.
Woodstock was a three-day music festival held in upstate New York in 1969. Famous for its memorable performances, drug use, and “free love,” the festival is considered to be one of the most endearing symbols of ‘60s youth culture. Beset by bad weather, insane traffic, and a lack of sanitation facilities, the festival was — eventually — hailed as a success. Learn more about the history of the festival.
Friday, August 19
World Humanitarian Day
On this date in 2003, a terrorist attack killed 22 humanitarian aid workers In Iraq, including many UN staff. To honor them, in 2008, the United Nations created World Humanitarian Day. The goal of this day is “to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world.” While there is no official word (yet!) on the theme for this year’s remembrance, you can look at the 2018 campaign website.
Sunday, August 21
Senior Citizens’ Day
Recognize the achievements and accomplishments seniors make in society. While this is a great day to acknowledge the seniors in our lives, we at FUNKY BROWN CHICK, Inc. think that celebrating seniors’ sexuality is also important. Seniors can, do, and should have great sex! Find sex-positive resources and sexual health information geared toward over 50s here and here.
Wednesday, August 24
Birth of Marsha P. Johnson (1945)
Pioneering activist and entertainer Marsha P. — P for “pay it no mind” — Johnson became an advocate for the LGBTQIA community as a young adult. She was present at the movement-inspiring Stonewall Inn riots. She and fellow advocate Sylvia Rivera founded STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), dedicated to helping homeless LGBTQIA youth. Johnson died under mysterious circumstances in 1992. She and Rivera are being honored with a new monument in NYC. Learn more about her in her own words here.
Thursday, August 25
Death of Alfred C. Kinsey (1956)
If you’ve ever watched Masters of Sex, you’ve learned a little about the life of Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey. Kinsey had been a lecturer on marriage and family for nearly a decade by the time he established the Institute for Sex Research (ISR) on the Indiana University campus in 1947. It’s not unusual for critics to bring up his “controversial” personal life; however, he was a serious researcher. Dr. Kinsey led the ISR from its beginnings until his death. During his leadership, the Kinsey Reports became a talking point in American culture.
Friday, August 26
The 19th Amendment is officially adopted.
Ratified in 1920, the 19th Amendment prohibits all states and the federal government from denying the vote to anyone due to their gender. Before this amendment passed, each state had developed its own laws on women’s suffrage. This law was the result of nearly 100 years of advocacy for women’s right to vote. It is reported that after the Amendment was ratified, over eight million women nationwide voted in the 1920 elections.
Women’s Equality Day
This day celebrates the adoption of the 19th Amendment (see above). Former U.S. Representative and women’s rights activist Bella Abzug is credited with proposing this observance. The first Women’s Equality Day was held in 1971. Need some ideas on how to celebrate? Visit the Women’s History Alliance website.
Sunday, August 28
Civil rights march on Washington.
Officially called the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom,” this demonstration set the stage for the passage of future civil rights laws. There were many goals for this march, including school desegregation, funding for job training, and protections against employment discrimination. It was during this march that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his powerful “I Have A Dream” speech. While change came slowly, in the next few years several landmark pieces of civil rights legislation were passed.
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