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Even before its founding in 2006, Deaf History Month has always been heavily intertwined with libraries.

In 1997, Alice Hagemeyer – a deaf librarian at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – created Deaf Awareness Week, which began on March 13th.

This date was chosen for historical significance, as it coincided with the 1988 appointment of Dr. I. King Jordan, the first deaf president of Gallaudet University – the United States’ first and only higher education institution designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. 

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Download a printable list of participating businesses.

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August 26^th 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.

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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.

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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.

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