Gold Spouses Day is observed annually on April 5. We honor and grieve with the families of lost or wounded military service members. Often known as Gold Star Wives Day, this day has now become inclusive of all family members — male or female — who have lost loved ones through service in the military. This day lets these affected families know that we remember their sacrifice, and honor their loss. Remembrance ceremonies are held, and there are “remember the fallen” road races in their honor.
Cheng Ming Festival
This year, the Ching Ming Festival will be marked on April 5. The festival is usually observed 15 days after the spring equinox, calculated from the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It falls on day one of the fifth solar term. The day is also called Chinese Memorial Day, Tomb-Sweeping Day, and Ancestors Day. On this day, Chinese families visit and clean the tombs of their deceased family members. A few festival activities include tomb cleaning, praying to the ancestors, burning joss sticks and paper, and making ritual offerings. Read on to learn more about this cultural significant holiday.
Victims of Violence Wholly Day
Every year, we observe Victims of Violence Wholly Day on April 4. The day marks the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis in 1968. The holiday is one of three “Emancipation Days of Respect,” and the other two are “Humanitarian Day” and “Dream Day Quest and Jubilee.” It honors people who have sacrificed to change segregation laws in the U.S. and supports people who have suffered at the hands of violence. This day is set apart to communicate a message to those who engage in racial segregation. It speaks to equality for all men regardless of their race or ethnicity — it calls for a more inclusive world.