Early into Donald Trump’s presidency, rumors began to fly on social media saying that he was going to ban or discontinue certain days from being national holidays or observed. It was rumored that holidays like Black History Month, LGBTQ+ Pride month and more were no longer allowed to be celebrated. Many have been wondering if these rumors are true.
Is it true?
No, the fact of the matter is that Donald Trump has not stated anything of the sort. The Trump administration has not said anything about canceling any holidays, federal or otherwise. These rumors picked up around the first time that Trump announced his plans to eradicate DEI efforts. The rumor started on X and slowly picked up speed until it spread to other apps like Facebook and Instagram.
While he has not ever claimed to be getting rid of these holidays, he has attacked people who celebrate these holidays.
DEI Rollback
Trump’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) rollback will affect people of color. In Trump’s changed plans for removal of DEI programs, he wants to focus on "merit based" applications. These have proven in the past to not be as effective for not hiring appropriate candidates, due to hiring bias.
Kamaiyah Smith, a Dayton citizen, currently has a degree in communications. She, like many others, is currently at risk due to the contents of her education.
“It’s really messed up. I’ve worked really hard for my degree. I graduated with high honors and worked my butt off. The thought of not being able to actually use my degree makes me sick. What makes me so upset is the people that are so gung-ho and ready to throw DEI out the window don’t even know what it is. God forbid I lose my current job, because with today’s day in age, lord knows if I’ll be able to get another one, qualifications and all," Smith said.
Additionally, while Trump has not said that he will be getting rid of historical holidays like Black History Month, due to his DEI efforts, celebratory and historical months for people of color will no longer be observed by government agencies. Departments like the Department of Defense have been ordered to immediately stop observing these cultural history months and celebrations. They are not federally banned though; on Feb. 1, Trump gave an address proclaiming that February was Black History Month.
“Throughout our history, Black Americans have been among our country’s most consequential leaders, shaping the cultural and political destiny of our Nation in profound ways.” Trump said in the address, “American heroes such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Sowell, Justice Clarence Thomas and countless others represent what is best in America and her citizens. Their achievements, which have monumentally advanced the tradition of equality under the law in our great country, continue to serve as an inspiration for all Americans.”
LGBTQ+ Community
Another group of marginalized people that have been affected by Trump’s executive orders and were a part of the rumor is the LGBTQ+. The LGBTQ+ community has been heavily attacked by Trump’s executive orders; they have been roped in with the DEI rollbacks, but separate from that, there have been 10 different acts or rescinding of acts that have targeted the LGBTQ+ community. Most of these are putting a spotlight on transgender individuals and LGBTQ+ youth in school.
Additionally, as of Jan. 21, the Trump administration has removed anything LGBTQ+ related off of their websites. This information includes the equity report, a fact sheet on HIV prevention, a history of pride month, the Department of Labor’s LGBTQ+ workers rights page and the Department of State’s LGBTQ+ Rights page, though the DOL and DOS removals may be a result of the DEI rollbacks.
Diverse organizations like GLAAD were able to archive the equity report and the HIV prevention information ahead of their deletion.
“I don’t know why he cares so much about trans people. We are literally doing nothing to him and there are so many other things to worry about in our country. He's choosing to attack marginalized groups for fun,” Xander Goatier, a trans man living in Columbus, said.
New holidays
While he is not getting rid of old cultural months and holidays, he has made efforts to add new ones. The most recent one is “Gulf of America Day” celebrating the new name for the Gulf of Mexico. It is now on Feb. 9 annually.
The next celebratory month is Career and Technical Education Month. It is in February and celebrates the workforce and technical workers. Also in February is American Heart Month, which celebrates heart health. Additionally, Feb. 7th has been deemed Wear Red Day, where you wear red to support heart health.
Lastly (but not least) National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. On this day, Jan 27. We are meant to celebrate the liberation of Auschwitz, the concentration camp that was responsible for millions of people’s lives during world war two.
"Between 1940 and 1945, more than one million Jews, religious leaders, disabled persons and other innocent victims were viciously and mercilessly executed in Auschwitz at the hands of the evil Nazi regime — culminating in one of the darkest chapters in human history. On this solemn day, America joins the Jewish community, the people of Poland, and the entire world in mourning the lives lost, the souls battered, the heroes forgotten and the countless men and women who gave their lives for the cause of freedom," the Presidential Action reads.
President Trump has been very busy with announcing new holidays and modifying old ones ever since his inauguration in January.
