Holidates - Valentines Day
It’s that time of year again…love is in the air, warming even the coldest winter day! The modern traditions of Valentine’s Day are a combination of both Christian and Roman Pagan rituals. There are many legends surrounding St. Valentine and his true identity. However, all of the individuals who have been thought to be the actual St. Valentine were honorable men, displaying heroism, compassion, and a penchant for romance. The Roman influence comes from a feast that was called the Lupercalia festival. The festival ended with each bachelor drawing from an urn the name of a woman who would then be his match for the year. These pairings often resulted in marriage. From the ancient to modern times, Valentine’s Day is all about love. Although romantic love is typically the focus, love of friends and family are also important considerations.  This Valentine’s Day break out of the winter blues and spend some quality time with people that you love.

Black History Month
The Heritage Promotions are a comprehensive promotion series that celebrates the Federal Heritage Months:  February is Black History month. Black History Month owes its beginning to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a black American man born to slave parents, who later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Throughout his studies, the scholar was perturbed by the absence of black Americans in historical texts, despite their presence in the New World since the colonial period. In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and, one year later, the Journal of Negro Life. In 1926, it was he that began Negro History Week, aiming to bring the nation’s attention to the struggles and contributions of black Americans. As part of the Nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded to a full month in 1976. Woodson originally chose the second week of February as Negro History Week because it held the birthdays of two important figures in black history – Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.  The activities and ideas planned here are great way to encourage the excitement and educate you on the Cultural Awareness.