African-Americans make up 12% of the American population and there are several holidays that celebrate them.
The following are African-American federal holidays in the United States:
| Date | Name | First celebrated | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| third Monday of January | 1986 | The birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.[1] | |
| June 19 | 2021 | Commemorates General Order No. 3, the legal decree issued in 1865 by Union General Gordon Granger enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation to the residents of Galveston, Texas, at the end of the American Civil War.[2] | |
The following are African-American holidays celebrated in at least one US State or territory:
| Date | Name | Number of States/territories celebrating | First celebrated | States Celebrating | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 4 or December 1 | 8 | 1998 | Alabama (2018),[3] California (2000), Michigan (1998),[4] Missouri (2015), Ohio (2011), Oregon (2014), Tennessee (2019),[5] Texas (2021) | The birthday or arrest of Rosa Parks | |
| March 22 or April 16 or May 20 or July 3 or November 1 | 5 | 2005 | Florida (2021),[6] Maryland (2013),[7] Puerto Rico, Washington, DC (2005),[8] United States Virgin Islands (2017)[9] | Commemorates the Emancipation of slaves | |
| March 10 | 1 | 2000 | Maryland (2000)[10] | The death of Harriet Tubman | |
| May 19 | 1 | 2015 | Illinois (2015)[11] | The birthday of Malcolm X | |
| August 4 | 1 | 2017 | Illinois (2017)[12] | The birthday of Barack Obama | |
| February 4 | 1 | 2022 | Wisconsin (2022)[13] | The birthday of Rosa Parks | |
| February 1 | 1 | 2023 | Iowa (2023)[14] | ||
The following African-American holidays are celebrated by different municipalities:
| Date | Name | Number of Municipalities curating | First celebrated | Municipalities Celebrating | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1 | 1 | 2019 | Charlottesville, Virginia (2019)[15] | Emancipation of slaves in Charlottesville | |
| September 24 | 1 | 1987 | Annapolis, Maryland (1987)[16] | The arrival of Kunta Kinte | |
The following are non-government African American holidays:
| Date | Name | Organization | First celebrated | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 15 | 2004 | Opening day for Jackie Robinson's first season | ||
| June | Philadelphia community | 1975 | Celebration of the Yoruba people | |
| February | Black Students Union | 1970 | February in the United States and Canada, October in the United Kingdom and Ireland | |
| June | 1979 | |||
| December 26 to January 1 | 1966 | |||