President's Day☺

Washington's Birthday, also know as "President's Day", is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of February. The day honors presidents of the United States, including George Washington (the USA's first president).
Washington's Birthday officially honors the life and work of George Washington. The day commemorates past presidents of the USA.
Some states pay particular attention to Abraham Lincoln, as his birthday was also in mid-February. In the weeks or days leading up to the holiday, schools often organize events and lessons for students about the presidents of the United States and George Washington in particular. It is a popular day for stores to start their sales. The US federal holiday is on the third Monday of February each year, but records show that George Washington's birthday is on February 22nd.  Many business are open as usual and many stores hold sales on Washington's Birthday. There is the portrait of him and three other American presidents carved into Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. His image is also used on the one-dollar bill and the quarter-dollar coin. The capital of the United States, Washington D.C., Washington State and at least three universities are named after him. Washington's Birthday was first celebrated as a holiday in the District of Columbia in 1880. It was made a federal holiday in 1885. The holiday was originally held on the anniversary of George Washington's birth, on February 22nd. In 1971, this holiday was moved to the third Monday in February.

The black history month and Jesse Owens.

Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month in America, is an annual observance in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in February and the United Kingdom in October.
The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be "Negro History Week." Negro History Week was met with enthusiastic response; it prompted the creation of black history clubs, an increase in interest among teachers, and interest from progressive whites. Negro History Week grew in popularity throughout the following decades, with mayors across the United States endorsing it as a holiday. The expansion of Black History Week to Black History Month was first proposed by the leaders of the Black United Students at Kent State University in February 1969. The first celebration of the Black History Month took place at Kent State one year later, in February 1970.
Morgan Freeman, a critic of Black History Month, said: "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."

Some important black heroes.

Jesse Owens.

Jesse Owens was a track and field star. His most famous moment came in the 1936 Olympics when he won 4 gold medals - much to the annoyance of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party who hoped the Olympics would be a showcase for Aryan supremacy. In his later life, Jesse Owens became a goodwill ambassador for America and athletics.

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself — the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us — that's where it's at."
- Jesse Owens (from autobiography)

Carnival♣

The origin of the word "Carnival"

Carnival is a festive occasion or period marked by merrymaking, processions, etc. In some Roman Catholic countries, it is the period just before Lent (the 40 days). This word possibly comes from the Latin "carnem levare", which means to take away or remove meat. Carnival was associated with the Pre-Lenten festivals on and around Shrove Tuesday.

In England.

The largest Carnival in England is Notting Hill which does not derive from Lent and is celebrated in late August. But Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as Pancake Day. Pancake Day takes place 47 days before Easter Sunday. It can occur anytime between February 3rd and March 9th. It is also know as Shrove Tuesday and is called "Pancake Day" because it is the day traditionally for eating pancakes as pancake recipes were a way to use up any stocks of milk, butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent. On Pancake Day, "pancake races" are held in villages and towns across the UK. Participants with frying pans race through the streets tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in the pan whilst running.

Notting Hill Carnival.

The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event that since 1964 has taken place on streets of Notting Hill, London and UK each August, over three days. It is led by members of the West Indian community. The Carnival has attracted around one million people in the past years, making it one of the largest street festivals in the world.