At Occano, the Sound is a gift we unwrap day after day—and share with the ones we love most. And we look forward to sharing it with you.

Even though many of us first heard of Juneteenth over the past few years, it’s a holiday that has been celebrated for over 150 years. Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It is also called Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day. The name “Juneteenth” references the date of the holiday, combining the words “June” and “nineteenth.” In 1863, during the American Civil War, Pres. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared more than three million slaves living in the Confederate states to be free. More than two years would pass, however, before the news reached African Americans living… Read More »

The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972—58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official—that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Father’s Day 2022 will occur on Sunday, June 19. A Spokane, Washington, woman named Senora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she… Read More »

Today June 14 is Flag Day, a day of national observance for all Americans, but it is not a federal holiday. Each year, the President proclaims the commemoration and encourages all Americans in the country to display the flag outside their homes and businesses. Usually, during Flag Day, the flag is flown from all public buildings, speeches are made in public places, and ceremonies take place in towns or cities. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson unofficially declared June 14 as Flag Day.  “A thoughtful mind, when it sees a nation’s flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself.” –… Read More »

Memorial Day is often considered the unofficial beginning of summer. Parades take place, the grill is dusted off for the first time. However, it is more than that. Memorial Day is in remembrance of soldiers who fell in combat risking their lives for their country. It is about gratitude. This year Memorial Day will occur on Monday, May 30. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. 10 Ways… Read More »

Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. It is celebrated May 15th of each year. The event is sponsored by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and is implemented by the FOP Memorial Committee. The holiday was created on October 1, 1961, when Congress authorized the president to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. The proclamation was signed by President Kennedy. In 1994, President… Read More »