1. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: On January 20, 2025, the United States commemorates Dr. King’s legacy who led a nonviolent crusade for equality and social justice. At the Human Rights Medical Committee in 1966, King said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

    While progress has been made, we still have so much work to do to achieve equitable health outcomes for every person in King County. Each of us has an opportunity to impact the lives of others. We are the change agents for the communities.

    Several celebrations will be held in honor of Dr. King in King County. Those 2025 events include: King County’s annual celebration of Dr. King on January 14, the King March and Rally on June 20, and the Northwest African American Museum’s event on June 20.

  2. International Holocaust Day: The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On that day, many will remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.

  3. Lunar New Year: Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities. The New Year celebration is celebrated for multiple days—not just one day as in the Gregorian calendar’s New Year.

  4. New Year’s Day: January 1 marks the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Julius Caesar introduced the day through the Julian calendar after the calendar year fell out of sync with the sun in 46 B.C. The Julian calendar closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.

  5. Emancipation Proclamation: President Abraham Lincoln issued the notable Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, announcing, “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious areas “are, and henceforward shall be free.” It was a major stage in the long U.S. journey to ending slavery.

  6. World Braille Day: Braille’s opened up a world of accessibility to the blind and visually impaired. In November 2018, January 4 was declared World Braille Day and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The first-ever World Braille Day was commemorated the following year and it was celebrated as an international holiday.

  7. National Blood Donor Month: Since January 1970, National Blood Donor Month has been observed. Winter is one of the most difficult seasons to collect blood, and this recognition helps increase blood donations and recognize the work of donors. Organizations such as the American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers come together to celebrate National Blood Donor Month, encouraging people to donate.

    Click here to locate a local blood donation center.

  8. Thyroid Awareness Month: A month focused on thyroid-related diseases and cancer, and highlighting the prevention techniques, treatments, and cures.