- November 1-31: National American Indian Heritage Month. The month is to honor and recognize the original peoples of this land. The 1996 proclamation details their contributions to the past and to the future.
- November 1: All Saints’ Day. A Christian holy day observed by many Western churches on November 1 and by Eastern churches on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The day now honors all saints of the church, even those not known by name.
- November 2: All Soul’s Day. A Roman Catholic day commemorating the faithful departed or those baptized Christians believed to be in purgatory. It is celebrated on November 2 unless this date falls on a Sunday, then it is celebrated on November 3.
- November 9-10: Kristallnach (Night of Broken Glass). In 1938, Nazi storm troopers and secret police along with Hitler Youth Groups went on a rampage in Jewish neighborhoods in both Germany and Austria. 7500 Jewish business and 200 synagogues were broken into and windows were smashed while those inside were beaten or killed. The commemoration of Kristallnach is celebrated in cities throughout Germany and in Jewish communities throughout the world.
- November 9-13: School Psychology Awareness Week. This is a great opportunity to highlight the Psychology profession as well as the role and value of school psychological services. The 2009 theme for the week is, Helping Students See the Positive Possibilities in Themselves and Their lives.
- November 9-14: Youth Appreciation Week. Since 1956, this program has given Optimist Clubs the occasion to work with youth toward the common goals of education, career development, physical well-being and community service. Youth Appreciation Week projects are intended to make children feel important and highlight their positive contributions to society.
- November 11: Veteran’s Day. A day to honor those who have served in the armed forces of the United States. The observation was originally designated in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day to commemorate the ending of World War I. In 1938, Congress passed legislation which designated Armistice Day as a federal holiday. The name was changed to Veteran’s Day in 1954 so that all veterans would be honored.
- November 15-21: American Education Week. The National Education Association’s 88th annual American Education Week spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great. The week’s 2009 tagline, Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility, reflects the Association's calling upon America to provide students with quality public schools so that they can grow, prosper, and achieve in the 21st century.
- November 15-21: Geography Awareness Week. Geography is a critical component of a 21st century education, and National Geographic is working to raise awareness so that all students have opportunities to know and understand their planet. Each year the Geography Action! program offers tools and resources for educators to bring geography to life through school and community events.
- November 22-28: National Family Week. For more than 30 years, the Alliance for Children and Families, a national membership organization headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, has coordinated and promoted National Family Week throughout the country. Its theme, Connections Count, embodies the premise that children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks, and services.
- November 25 – 29: The Hajj (Islamic). The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. All Muslims who are able are required to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and begins on the eighth day of the last month of the Islamic lunar year. The Hajj is a time for reflection and celebration, when more than two million Muslims from around the world gather together to celebrate their faith.
- November 26: Thanksgiving. In 1621, the residents of Plymouth rejoiced in an abundant crop and Governor William Bradford proclaimed a three day harvest festival. The colonists and about 90 Indians enjoyed an enormous feast which included ducks, geese, turkey, fish, corn bread and vegetables. It is this particular feast that is usually referred to as the First Thanksgiving. Many proclamations have been made concerning the observance of a annual day of thanksgiving in the United States beginning with George Washington in 1789. In 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the date of the celebration to the fourth Thursday in November which is still observed, today.
- November 30: Shirley Chisholm’s Birthday. Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968, where she served seven terms. While in Congress, Chisholm spoke out for civil rights, women’s rights, and the poor, and against the Vietnam War. In 1971 Chisholm, along with Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and others, founded the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) to increase women’s participation in the political process. In 1972 Chisholm became a Democratic candidate for President of the United States, the first major party African American candidate for the U.S. presidency.
*This list is not intended to be all-inclusive of the observances of any religion, and is based on the information available at the time of production.