April 1-30
April is Earth Month
Earth Month was established in April 1970 and is non-political. It is a month intended to develop momentum for a full year's worth of work on improving the environment. Visit our Environmental Awareness Collection to learn more about how you can be involved in helping our planet!
School Library Month
School Library Month is the American Association of School Librarians' celebration of school libraries and school librarians, who are encouraged to host activities to celebrate the essential role that strong school libraries play in transforming learning. Efforts to designate a national School Library Month began in 1983, and on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol on April 1, 1985, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan delivered the keynote address, saying, "I want to thank you for what you do. I hope you know how important your work is. You change lives for the better. You touch people while they can still be touched." View the Libraries, Literature and Learning Collection.
National Poetry Month
National Poetry Month is a celebration of poetry which takes place in April. Introduced in 1996 and organized by the Academy of American Poets, the purpose is to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States. View our Poets and Poetry and Poets Laureate collections.
Financial Literacy Month
Financial Literacy Month is celebrated in April. President George W. Bush declared April as the month for Financial Literacy in 2004. Its purpose is to highlight the importance of being financially literate and to encourage people to learn about techniques that can assist them in becoming financially smart.
SAAM (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) Day of Action
Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) was first nationally observed in 2001. The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence, educate communities on how to prevent it and bolster prevention efforts throughout the year.
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April Observances (Week):
National Public Health Week - April 1-7, 2024
National Public Health Week was created to help draw attention to the development and current state of public health in the U.S. This campaign is to educate the public on how everyone can pursue a healthy life. View our KnowItAll Healthy! Collection
Week of the Young Child - April 6-12, 2024
The NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) encourages us to shine a spotlight on classrooms, advocacy and family engagement activities. Be sure to visit our Early Learning collection on KnowItAll.org for resources and activities!
National Library Week - April 7-13, 2024
National Library Week is a holiday organized by the American Library Association to promote literacy and the use of public libraries. Explore the many available resources in our Libraries. Literature & Learning Collection!
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April Observances (Day):
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30
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International Children's Book Day
April 2 marks the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, a beloved author of children’s tales that are often adapted into Disney films. The holiday celebrates children’s literacy and imagination to inspire a love of reading. View the Libraries, Literature and Learning Collection.
National Love Your Produce Manager Day
A produce manager is the individual that curates the display of produce at your local grocery store. The Love Your Produce Manager Day is to honor them for maintaining the display, marketing the produce and help deliver the freshest produce to the customers.
- Learn to Vary Your Veggies and make a colorful salad with Healthy Hannah’s Healthy Choice Heroes!
- Find out about Vegetables and Farming – from Eye Wonder!
- Try growing Vegetables from scraps that usually go to your compost pile – from Environmental Minutes!
Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action
View What is Human Trafficking? and Teen Dating Violence from Palmetto Scene.
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Washington Irving
April 3, 1783: American writer Washington Irving was born in New York City. Irving is most well known for his stories Rip Van Winkle, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. (Artopia)
National Walking Day
Held the first Wednesday in April, the day was first established in 2007 by the American Heart Association. The day serves as a reminder of the importance of walking for our health. Walking improves circulation, bone strength, and contributes to weight loss and improved sleep.
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Dr. Maya Angelou
Actor, Dancer and Poet Dr. Maya Angelou was born April 4, 1928. (Periscope) See also our Poets and Poetry and Poets Laureate collections.
Hugh Masekela
Musician Hugh Masekela was born in Witbank, South Africa on April 4, 1939. (Artopia)
Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated
April 4, 1968: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Andrew Young, politician, diplomat, and friend to Dr. King, reflects on the loss of an American icon. (ETV Shorts). View the Martin Luther King Collection
National Hug a Newsperson Day
National Hug a Newsperson Day is a day to celebrate and show appreciation for the news men and women who dedicate all hours of the day to help us stay updated on the goings on of our world. View our Journalism, Broadcasting & Communications Collection
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U.S. Entered World War I
April 6, 1917: Following a congressional vote for a declaration of war, the U.S. entered World War I, which began in 1914. The war would not only affect the men fighting in Europe, but also the civilians left behind over here on the homefront. (Carolina Stories)
National Student Athlete Day
High school and college student-athletes are celebrated on April 6 to promote the positive virtues of athleticism and sport and the positive effect that student-athletes have on society. The holiday was created in 1987 by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, and since then over 4.4 million student-athletes that have maintained a high GPA and community service have received certificates.
Try out First Choice Fit with Marcus Lattimore or explore content on athletes at various stages of their lives on KnowItAll!
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World Health Day
Originating in 1948 from the World Health Organization, World Health Day is an annual celebration that calls attention to one health area of concern each year. Visit our Knowitall Healthy! collection to find ways to improve your health with simple exercises like walking.
The theme for World Health Day 2023 is "Health of All." Visit our KnowItAll Healthy Collection for resources on health and our Environmental Awareness Collection for resources on the health of our planet!
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National Zoo Lovers Day
April 8 is a day to celebrate the contributions zoos have in our society. You can celebrate by taking a day outing to the zoo and visiting the diverse animals. View our National Zoo and Aquarium Month Collection
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9
National Unicorn Day
The horned horse mythical creature that is celebrated across centuries of ancient and fictional texts has its own unique holiday to honor the creature and to inspire creativity.
- View "Fern's Fabulosity" from Creating with Mr. Dearybury.
- Have you ever seen a Unicorn Beetle? Now you can in Meet Big Backyard Monsters.
National Winston Churchill Day
April 9 signifies the day that Winston Churchill was made an honorary citizen of the United States due to his contributions in leadership during the second World War. He was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature and had a large impact on the world we know of today. Learn more about when Winston Churchill toured Fort Jackson.
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day
This day honors those veterans who have served their country while being held captive in enemy territory. The day also honors the family of the prisoners of war and their long and anxious wait to see their family again. Explore content in our Wars and Conflicts Collection.
National Library Workers Day
National Library Workers Day is a holiday created to honor the librarians who keep our libraries running and keep the libraries evolving. Visit our Libraries, Literature & Learning Collection and tell your librarian and library workers what you found!
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10
National Encourage A Young Writer Day
April 10 is a day to encourage a young writer to write a short story or poem and to use their imagination to create and tell a story. You can celebrate by gifting a young writer a journal, helping writers find sources, encouraging them to read and creating a young writers’ group. View our collection “For Young Writers” in the Libraries, Literature and Learning Collection.
Nazi Concentration Camp at Buchenwald, Germany
April 10, 1945: The Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, Germany, was liberated by allied forces during World War II. The allied soldiers made German civilians residing in the area visit the camp to witness the horrors for themselves. Some South Carolinians remember their experiences with what they saw and how they reacted. Viewer discretion is advised. (South Carolinians in WW II)
National Farm Animals Day
This is a holiday that promotes the health and welfare of the livestock population in the United States which include 9 billion chickens, 244 million turkeys, 93 million cows, 65 million hogs and 6 million sheep. The livestock industry is known to be cruel and containing various hardships for the animals. Celebrate this holiday by educating yourself on the livestock industry. Visit the National Farm Animals Day.
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National Pet Day
National Pet Day was created by the National Institutes of Health to recognize the positive impacts that pets have on our mental and physical health. The holiday was founded in 2006 originally just to celebrate the joy that pets can provide us, but it transitioned to also raise awareness about animal adoption and the health benefits of having pets. View our Animal Lovers Collection.
National Submarine Day
April 11 was the day the Navy acquired its first modern submarined, named Holland VI. It not only honors the submarine, the historic day or the Navy, but also the rich history that submarines have in this country stemming back from the American Revolution. Visit the National Submarine Day page under the Military Observances collection and view our H.L.Hunley Collection!
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12
Fort Sumter
April 12, 1861: Confederate forces, under command of General P.G.T. Beauregard, opened fire on Fort Sumter (commanded by Maj. Robert Anderson), in Charleston, S.C., signaling the beginning of the American Civil War. Learn more about Fort Sumter, and the key people involved here and here. (History of S.C. Slide Collection, Palmetto Special, and SCETV Specials)
International Day of Human Space Flight
April 12 was the first day of human space flight which was a historic event for the future of space travel. The holiday promotes the exploration of space and the investigation of life and science beyond the boundaries of the atmosphere. View the Space Exploration Collection
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National Peach Cobbler Day
National Peach Cobbler Day celebrates the true American classic dessert that blends ripened peaches or other summer fruits into cobblers. View our resources on peaches including these and more! Check out the National Peach Month which is celebrated in June.
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14
Elizabeth Evelyn Wright
Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, a graduate of Tuskegee Institute founded The Denmark Industrial School on April 14, 1897. In 1967, the school became Voorhees College. (Road Trip)
Look Up at the Sky Day
April 14 is the perfect day to enjoy the outdoors by "looking up at the sky day." This day was created to inspire people to notice and admire the natural beauty of the world. Explore our new series – From the Sky! - From the Sky is a digital series that offers viewers a glimpse into the cities and towns of South Carolina from a “not often seen” vantage point – from above – using a drone camera.
National Dolphin Day
Each year, the American Veterinary Medical Association recognizes the intelligent and social mammals that we know as the dolphin. The holiday encourages people to learn more about the mammal itself and how to protect their habitats. Watch the Dolphin Conservation from ETV Shorts.
Apollo 13 - "Houston, we've had a problem!"
April 14, 1970: Three days into their journey, Apollo 13 suffered a catastrophic accident while en route to the moon. A routine oxygen tank "stir" caused a damaged oxygen tank inside their service module to rupture- crippling the spacecraft and venting much of their oxygen supply out into space. In order to survive, the crew was forced to use their Lunar Module Aquarius as a makeshift "life boat." The Mission Control team in Houston worked round the clock with the astronauts to bring them back home. Apollo 13 is remembered as a "successful failure" in that Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise returned home despite not landing on the moon.
The famous quote "Failure is not an option" came from NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz.
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15
R.M.S. Titanic
April 15, 1912: Arguably the most well-known maritime tragedy in human history occurred on this date. Owned and operated by the White Star Line, the Titanic was the second of three 'Olympic' class ships constructed by the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Ireland. The Titanic was the largest man-made moving object ever built at that time, with a length of 882 feet. Setting sail on April 10, 1912, her maiden voyage was to sail from Southampton, England, to New York City, NY. In the late hours of April 14, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank three hours later, claiming the lives of more than 1500 people. To this day, the name Titanic remains a synonym for tragedy.
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16
National Orchid Day
A couple by the names of Mike and Faith Young visited Mexico to volunteer at an orchid reserve and admired their beauty and grace and subsequently named their daughter after the flower. The couple lost Orchid during labor in 2014 and decided to mark the day with a national holiday devoted to the flower and their late daughter.
- Yellow Lady Slipper | The Cove Forest (a native orchid)
- Mosquitoes are often thought of as annoying pests to be exterminated. However, they play a rather large role in the pollination of many flowers, including goldenrod and orchids. View lesson.
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17
International Bat Appreciation Day
Springtime marks the end of the long hibernation season for bats, and this holiday marks the perfect time to start observing the animal in their natural habitats. View the Bat Collection.
National Ellis Island Family History Day
April 17, 1907 was the day immigration officials recorded 11,747 names passing through Ellis island which marks it as the busiest day in the island’s history. Therefore, the holiday encourages people and their families to discover more information about their ancestry and history. Watch this immigration story with Felix Bauer | S.C. Voices: Lessons from the Holocaust
International Haiku Poetry Day
The holiday was created in 2007 as a project to encourage people and young poets to dip their toes in creatively to the world of the Japanese poetry tradition known as the Haiku. The traditional poem style consists of a three-line structure with the syllable count being 5-7-5 with content usually consisting of revering elders or nature. Learn more: What is Haiku? What Are the Rules? See also our Poets and Poetry and Poets Laureate collections.
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The Doolittle Raiders
April 18, 1942: During World War II, the first air raid on the Japanese mainland occurs when General James "Jimmy" Doolittle leads a squadron of B-25 "Mitchell" bombers, launching from the U.S.S. Hornet, to bomb Tokyo, and three other cities. The men who carried out this mission would forever be known as "The Doolittle Raiders." (South Carolina's Greatest Generation)
National Columnists Day
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists celebrates National Columnists Day on April 18 to highlight the role that newspaper columnists have in providing a unique and informed view of world events to alleviate news fatigue for readers and connecting the newspaper with the readers. Visit the Journalism & Broadcasting Collection.
National Support Teen Literature Day
Celebrated every Thursday of National Library Week, National Support Teen Literature Day raises awareness for young adult literature which is a growing and influential genre. The Young Adult Library Services Association supports the holiday in hopes to highlight the young adult fiction authors and their novels. View our Libraries, Literature & Learning Collection!
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National Education and Sharing Day
Celebrated between March 21 and April 21 of the Gregorian Calendar.
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Earth Day
Earth Day began in 1970 and is celebrated annually around the world on April 22. View our Environmental Awareness Collection.
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Matthew J. Perry, Jr.
The Matthew J. Perry, Jr. United States Courthouse was dedicated on April 23, 2004. (Road Trip)
Shakespeare's Birthday
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. Visit our Shakespeare Collection and our theater resources from Artopia.. See also our Poets and Poetry and Poets Laureate collections.
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John James Audubon
April 26, 1785: American artist and naturalist John James Audubon was born in Haiti. He is most well known for his realistic illustrations of birds in North America. (History of S.C. Slide Collection, South Carolina Public Radio)
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
The holiday celebrated by the United Nations was created to remember the disastrous radioactive explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 that left nearly 8.4 million people exposed to poisonous radiation. The UN decided to celebrate its remembrance in December of 2016 to recognize the log-term effects of the explosion and the victims. Visit the Chernobyl Event Collection.
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August Wilson
Poet and playwright August Wilson was born on April 27, 1945. (Artopia)
National Tell a Story Day
April 27 serves as a day to celebrate the art of storytelling and to encourage people of all ages to tell a story whether it be oral, through poetry or through reading a book out loud to someone else. Grab family members or friends to enjoy the It's Storytime Collection.
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Great Poetry Reading Day
This holiday was created to allow poets to share and create poetry to honor the ancient art form and spur more creativity. To celebrate this holiday, read and write poetry, participate in a poetry slam and view our Poets and Poetry and Poets Laureate collections.
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Dia! Diversity in Action Day/El Dia del Niño
A celebration of children, families and reading, emphasizing literacy for children of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
International Jazz Day
In 2011, UNESCO created International Jazz Day to honor jazz music and its role in uniting people all over the world. The holiday encourages people to learn more about the roots of the genre and its future and impact to many communities around the globe. View our Jazz Collection!
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REVISIONS
Revised by Eva Chillaru, 2021 ETV Endowment Intern, June 2021
