FEB. 14 IS NATIONAL DONOR DAY Give the Gift of Life
Join a Donor Dash.
With all the cards, chocolates, and expensive dinners, it’s easy to get cynical about Valentine’s Day. However, National Donor Day also falls on Feb. 14, and it can refocus our attention back on the real meaning of the day: love. In the U.S., 20 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant. Losing loved ones is one of the most painful aspects of the human experience, and while it is unavoidable, organ donation offers a pathway to help prevent that loss and keep more love in the world.
Donor Dash fundraising events pop up all over the country on National Donor Day. These noncompetitive 5K running and walking events are designed to bring donors and recipients together and keep hope alive for those who are currently waiting for a donation. To learn more, or to register for an event, check out DonorAlliance.org.
Participate in #StartTheConversation.
In the spirit of that love, here are a few ways you can get involved with National Donor Day this Feb. 14.
Donor Alliance, a nonprofit that works to promote organ donation, began the #StartTheConversation campaign as a way to help spread awareness about organ and tissue donation. Starting the conversation can be as simple as sharing that you registered with your friends and family or as personal as sharing a story about how organ donation has touched your life or the lives of your loved ones. Don’t let another Valentine’s Day come and go in a tide of cellophane, candy hearts, and cheesy cards. This year, get involved in National Donor Day. After all, what better way is there to express the value of love than giving the gift of life? This led to the creation of The Journal of Negro History in 1916. Woodson and his colleagues used this journal to publish those achievements, along with the insights of other black Americans from around the country. Woodson challenged others to follow in his footsteps. And they did. In 1924, "Negro History Week" was founded by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. This eventually became known as "Negro Achievement Week." It was part of greater outreach in many communities around the country to bring awareness of black achievement. Woodson and others wanted more, however. Through the 1920s and '30s, black culture grew in the U.S. At the same time, more black history was being taught in schools, even as many black communities faced oppression, especially in the southern states. As the Civil Rights Movement took hold in the '50s and '60s, more people were learning about black history, and black Americans were learning where they had come from and looking to their African ancestors for inspiration. During this time, more people were also celebrating Black History Month —
Register as an organ donor.
Signing yourself up is easy and can be done either online or in person at your local Department of Motor Vehicles. You’ll need official identification to register. Registration is not permanent and you will always have the option to change your mind. Once registered, you will not need to carry your donor card with you, as your status exists in the registry.
February is Black History Month. It’s a month that recognizes the countless men and women who helped change the American cultural, social, and scientific landscape. Black History Month can be traced back to 1915 in Chicago. It was the 50th anniversary of emancipation by the state of Illinois, and 52 years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
In 1915, thousands of African-Americans trekked to a cultural exhibition in Chicago. It was a three- week event chronicling the many achievements African Americans had made since slavery had been crushed only 50 years earlier. One of the attendees, Carter G. Woodson, was in awe of everyone in attendance — not to mention all
Carter G. Woodson
the achievements that were being shared at the event. Following the exhibition in Chicago, Woodson helped found the Association of the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). Woodson’s goal was to bring the achievements of black Americans to a national stage.
which was quickly replacing the idea of "Negro HistoryWeek."
It wasn’t until 1976 that Black History Month was finally recognized nationally. It was 50 years after Carter G. Woodson made strides to change the American cultural landscape. Today, he and countless others can be credited with having a major positive impact on American culture.
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