SERVICE INTERRUPTION: Thursday, August 28 at 9 pm through Wednesday, September 3 at 9 am as Vernon Area Public Library joins our consortium. During this time our app, calendar and some additional online resources will be temporarily unavailable. You can still check out materials, and no items will become due during this time. Full service is expected to resume on Wednesday, September 3.
August 26th is the day we celebrate Women’s Equality Day.
Ratified by Congress in 1973, Women’s Equality Day memorializes the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. The Nineteenth Amendment granted voting rights to many women across the United States and was a hard-won victory that signaled the changing times that were to come.
Every July, people across the country celebrate Disability Pride Month, an annual observance that highlights the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of people with disabilities.
According to The Arc, more than 1 in 4 adults in the United States live with a disability, though most will likely experience being disabled – even temporarily – at least once in their life.
Disability Pride Month affirms that disabilities are not a deficit or condition that must be fixed for the person to be accepted, helping to promote inclusion.
The reason for Disability Pride Month’s observance in July is to commemorate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26th, 1990.
The first Disability Pride Parade was hosted in 2004 by the city of Chicago, though the first official celebration was a Disability Pride Day hosted by the city of Boston in 1990.
NOTE: The Des Plaines Public Library will be closed this June 19th in honor of Juneteenth. There will be a display on the third and fourth floors containing media that honors the holiday.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a federal American holiday that is also known as “Freedom Day,” a celebration of freeing those who were enslaved.
It honors those who were lost during slavery.
It is a national, symbolic celebration of respect for all cultures.
It demonstrates the fight for freedom for everyone, that no one is free until we are all free.
While it is important to celebrate freedom on this holiday, it is also important to understand the historical significance of this date and why we celebrate.
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and we felt it fitting to cover what pride is, as well as a brief history of the event.
And a LOT of book recommendations!
Originally, LGBTQ+ Pride events took place on June 28th to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which began on June 28th after the Stonewall Inn was raided by law enforcement and lasted until July 2nd.
