Yes, Memorial Day is impending and marks the near beginning of summer, but there are other less known holidays and observances that will be celebrated in certain parts of the US. The most common in the South is former Confederate president Jefferson Davis' birthday. Funnily enough, the South can't seem to get the exact date; Mississippi thinks it's May 25, while Alabama celebrates it as a state holiday on June 1, and Florida observes it on June 3.
On a more global note, June 6 marks the 71st anniversary of the D-day landing on the beaches of Normandy during WWII. Last year, crowds of still surviving veterans lined the English Channel in observance of the important date. In a couple of years, maybe even on the 75th anniversary, many of these veterans most likely will have passed away. If you are interested, try to get in touch with local veterans and dig a little deeper into their stories. We've probably read several novels/biographies concerning WWII, like Unbroken and Code Name Verity, but it's always much more touching when you get the real deal. (shameless advertising: Talon did a WWII veteran spread in the magazine, check it out if you want to find a few local veterans)
Dates from: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/
Thanks for the post, Claire! I did some further research and found out that an official holiday is tomorrow, International Jazz Day. Always on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, International Jazz Day commemorates, you guessed it, Jazz. It was created in 1991 by Michael Denny, "a musician and bandleader who was on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Jazz Society."
ReplyDeleteSource:
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/May/jazzday.htm