The Third Circuit Court Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team’s Mission: "We appreciate our common connection and respect our diverse and unique human experiences. We move forward as an inclusive organization as we provide accessible and equal justice."

The Court’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team strives to ensure the values of its diverse bench, staff, and court users are acknowledged and reflected in our delivery of service as well as our work environment.

In that spirit, the team creates and shares a monthly list of various holidays and observations along with some celebration suggestions. We invite our work community and the community at large to contribute.

“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we all must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” – Maya Angelou

FEBRUARY 2024

 Source: https://www.almanac.com/content/month-february-holidays-fun-facts-folklore

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

February is Black History Month. Since the 1970s that familiar declaration has introduced countless celebrations of African American history and achievement, from Black History Minutes on local television stations to the pronouncements of U.S. presidents. But why is February designated as the month to commemorate African American history?

The answer lies with eminent American historian Carter G. Woodson, who pioneered the field of African American studies in the early 20th century. Inspired by having attended a three-week national celebration of the 50th anniversary of emancipation in 1915, Woodson joined four others in founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) to encourage scholars to engage in the intensive study of the Black past, a subject that had long been sorely neglected by academia and in U.S. schools. In 1916 Woodson began editing the association’s principal scholarly publication, The Journal of Negro History. In 1924, spurred on by Woodson, his college fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, introduced Negro History and Literature Week. Two years later, determined to bring greater attention to African American history, Woodson and the ASNLH launched Negro History Week in February 1926.

February is the birth month of two figures who loom large in the Black past: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (born February 12), who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and African American abolitionist, author, and orator Frederick Douglass (born February 14). Since the deaths of Lincoln and Douglass (in 1865 and 1895, respectively), the Black community had celebrated their contributions to African American liberation and civil rights on their birthdays. By rooting Negro History Week in February, Woodson sought to both honor the inestimable legacy of Lincoln and Douglass and to expand an already existent celebration of the Black past to include not only the accomplishments of these two great individuals but also the history and achievements of Black people in general.

As early as the 1940s, some communities had transformed February into Negro History Month. With the ascendance of the American civil rights movement and the rise of Black consciousness in the 1960s, Negro History Week had become Black History Month in more and more places. In 1976 the association that Woodson had founded (later renamed the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) facilitated the widespread institutionalization of February as Black History Month, and U.S. President Gerald Ford urged Americans to participate in its observance. All subsequent presidents would do the same, sometimes referring to the event as National Afro-American (Black) History Month or National African American History Month.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-black-history-month-celebrated-in-february

Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in Southeast Michigan:

Detroit Institute of Arts “Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898-1971”

When: February 4, 2024

Where: 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit

What: The DIA will open its new exhibit, “Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898-1971,” which honors the legacy of African Americans in film, Feb. 4. It includes costumes, props, photographs, posters and interactive elements. The museum also has permanent exhibits, Africa and Center for African American Art. Free w/general admission; Free/residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties

Detroit Book City African-American Family Book Expo 2024

When: February 17, 2024

Where: Historic People’s Community Church, 8601 Woodward Ave., Detroit

What: This 8th annual expo features book discussions, kids activities, meet-and-greets with Black authors and more. The first 100 adults receive a free calendar. Free admission. Registration required.

2024 Black Expo

When: February 10, 2024

Where: Orchard Mall, 6445 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield

What: Families can celebrate Black History Month at an expo with demos and displays, Black-owned businesses, live music and more. Free admission.

Detroit Public Library – Jefferson Branch 

Where: 12350 Outer Drive E., Detroit

What: The Jefferson Branch puts on many Black History Month events, including Family African Mask Making on Feb. 3, Family Black History Month Notable People Scavenger Hunt on Feb. 10 and Family Time – Black History Month Bingo on Feb. 24. Free Admission.



Detroit Historical Museum

Where: 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit

What: Walk the cobblestone streets inside the museum to see all of the history of the Detroit area, including about African American leaders and heroes. Permanent exhibits include “America’s Motor City,” “Detroit 67: Perspectives,” “Motor City Music” and “Doorway to Freedom – Detroit and the Underground Railroad.”

Motown Museum

Where: 2648 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit

What: Visit “Hitsville U.S.A.” and see where Motown’s first headquarters and recording studio was along with the founder of the record label, Berry Gordy’s apartment. Motown is such a huge part of Detroit’s history and some of the most iconic artists were The Temptations, The Supremes, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye.

National Museum of Tuskegee Airmen

Where: 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit

What: This museum provides visitors the history and artifacts behind the first African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces. It hosts the largest collection of Tuskegee Airmen artifacts in the world.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Where: 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit

What: This African American museum can be enjoyed year-round and offers free admission on certain Sundays throughout the year. Its permanent exhibit, “And Still We Rise,” shows the resilience of African Americans throughout history. This exhibit allows visitors to see how Africans were enslaved, the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Movement and much more. “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism Costume Design” features more than 60 of Carter’s original designs, including costumes from “Black Panther,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Malcolm X,” “Do The Right Thing” and more iconic films.

The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village

Where: 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn

What: Visitors can actually get on the Rosa Parks bus in the exhibit, “With Liberty & Justice for All.” The outdoor museum, Greenfield Village has two brick cabins called Hermitage Slave Quarters for you to show your kids how enslaved African Americans could have lived.

Source: https://www.metroparent.com/things-to-do/guides/black-history-month-family-events-southeast-michigan/

2024 IS A LEAP YEAR!

February 29, 2024 is Leap Day. Leap Day has been a day of traditions, folklore and superstitions ever since Leap Years were first introduced by Julius Caesar over 2000 years ago.

Women Propose to Their Men

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every four years.

This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how leap day balances the calendar.

12 Pairs of Gloves

In some places, leap day has been known as “Bachelors’ Day” for the same reason. A man was expected to pay a penalty, such as a gown or money, if he refused a marriage proposal from a woman on Leap Day.

In many European countries, especially in the upper classes of society, tradition dictates that any man who refuses a woman's proposal on February 29 has to buy her 12 pairs of gloves. The intention is that the woman can wear the gloves to hide the embarrassment of not having an engagement ring. During the middle ages there were laws governing this tradition.

Leap Day Babies World Record

People born on February 29 are all invited to join The Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies. According to the Guinness Book of Records, there are Leap Day World Record Holders both of a family producing three consecutive generations born on February 29 and of the number of children born on February 29 in the same family.

Unlucky in Love

In Scotland, it used to be considered unlucky for someone to be born on leap day, just as Friday 13th is considered an unlucky day by many. Greeks consider it unlucky for couples to marry during a leap year, and especially on Leap Day.

St. Oswald’s Day

Leap day is also St Oswald’s Day, named after the archbishop of York who died on February 29, 992. His memorial is celebrated on February 29 during leap years and on February 28 during common years. 

Source: https://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-day-february-29.html