September 18 National Days

September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years), leaving 104 days until year’s end.

National Days on September 18th — September 18 National Days

The date honors the establishment of the U.S. Air Force, the beginnings of chiropractic care, and the craft of cartonnage, while also addressing important issues such as equal pay, HIV and aging, and respect in relationships. Alongside these causes, people celebrate lighter themes like cheeseburgers, red velvet cake, and even nostalgic Rice Krispies Treats.

Here’s a closer look at the 21 national and international days celebrated on September 18.

National and International Days on September 18

Chiropractic Founders Day marks the first chiropractic adjustment performed by Daniel David Palmer in Davenport, Iowa, on September 18, 1895. Palmer believed that misaligned vertebrae could disrupt the nervous system and cause disease. His first adjustment, given to a janitor named Harvey Lillard, reportedly restored his hearing. This event became the foundation of chiropractic care, later expanded by Palmer’s son, B.J. Palmer, into a professional field focused on spinal alignment, nervous system health, and holistic well-being.

Global Company Culture Day, launched in 2019 by the Global Company Culture Association, calls attention to the importance of creating positive and inclusive workplace cultures. The initiative emerged from research showing widespread dissatisfaction with work-life balance and poor employee engagement. On September 18, businesses are encouraged to host workshops, team events, and discussions to strengthen collaboration, improve morale, and foster organizational values that support both people and performance.

Hug a Greeting Card Writer Day highlights the often-overlooked writers behind the thoughtful words found in cards for birthdays, weddings, and holidays. Greeting cards have a long history, from ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls and Chinese New Year’s notes to the mass-produced Victorian cards that popularized sending sentiments by mail. This day gives credit to the wordsmiths who capture emotions in a few lines and help people communicate care, joy, and sympathy through written messages.

International Day of Listening* (Third Thursday in September) was established in 2016 by the International Listening Association (ILA) to highlight the critical importance of listening in personal relationships, education, workplaces, and communities. The ILA itself was founded in 1979 by Dr. Ralph G. Nichols, a professor at the University of Minnesota and widely regarded as “The Father of Listening.” This day not only encourages people to talk less and listen more but also promotes listening as a skill that fosters empathy, understanding, and conflict resolution in a noisy, fast-paced world.

👂 The “International Day of Listening” should not be confused with other listening-focused observances. World Listening Day (July 18), created in 2010 by the World Listening Project, honors composer R. Murray Schafer and raises awareness of soundscapes and acoustic ecology. National Day of Listening in the U.S., founded in 2008 by StoryCorps, takes place on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) and encourages families to record and share personal stories as an alternative to shopping.

International Equal Pay Day addresses the ongoing global struggle to close the gender pay gap. It grew from the U.S. National Equal Pay Day, first observed in 1996, and gained international recognition through the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), which led the United Nations to officially designate September 18 as the observance in 2020. The day emphasizes equal pay for equal work, calls for legislative reforms, and encourages employers to adopt transparent pay practices that advance gender equity worldwide.

National Cartonnage Day celebrates the craft of making decorative boxes from fabric-covered cardboard. Its roots stretch back to ancient Egypt, where cartonnage was used in funerary masks and coffins, and later to 19th-century France, when artisans like Ferdinand Revoul refined the practice for decorative and practical storage boxes. In modern times, Claudia Squio, founder of Colorway Arts, revived interest in cartonnage and established this day in 2021 to share the joy of crafting fabric-covered boxes.

National Ceiling Fan Day began in 2013, created by the fan company Fanimation to highlight how ceiling fans can drastically reduce energy consumption compared to air conditioning. The day encourages people to adopt fans as a sustainable cooling method, saving both electricity and money. By promoting efficient alternatives to AC, the observance aligns with broader efforts to reduce carbon footprints and environmental impact.

National Cheeseburger Day celebrates one of America’s most iconic comfort foods. While the holiday itself was likely promoted by restaurants and burger chains, the cheeseburger’s history dates to 1924 when 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger reportedly placed a slice of cheese on a hamburger at The Rite Spot in Pasadena, California. The name “cheeseburger” was later trademarked in 1935 by Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, Colorado. Other restaurants, like Kaelin’s in Louisville, Kentucky, also claim credit, but regardless of origin, the cheeseburger has become a culinary classic and a global staple.

🍔 A similar day, National Double Cheeseburger Day, is celebrated on September 15.

National Cheeseburger Day

National Day of Civic Hacking was first observed in 2013 as a White House initiative organized by Code for America, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and SecondMuse. The event brings together technologists, community members, and government agencies to solve local problems using open data, coding, and design. From building apps that help food-insecure families find resources to creating tools for accessing local laws, the day demonstrates how civic collaboration and technology can foster innovation and community improvement.

National First Love Day invites reflection on one’s earliest experience of romantic affection. Created in 2015, the day encourages people to reminisce about the innocence, excitement, and lessons of first love—whether it blossomed into something lasting or faded into memory. It’s also a day to recognize that those formative experiences often shape our understanding of relationships, emotions, and connection.

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD), founded in 2008 by The AIDS Institute, addresses the unique needs of people over 50 living with HIV. With advancements in treatment, many individuals are living longer, but they face additional challenges such as age-related illnesses, medication side effects, and stigma. NHAAD raises awareness, supports long-term survivors, and promotes continued research into treatment and care, reminding the public that HIV remains a critical health issue across generations.

National Pawpaw Day* (Third Thursday in September) shines a spotlight on America’s largest native fruit, once a staple in the diets of Indigenous peoples and early settlers. The pawpaw’s custard-like flavor, often described as a blend of banana and mango, was celebrated by figures like George Washington and the Lewis and Clark expedition. Kentucky State University, home to the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Asimina species, established the day in 2019 to promote research, cultivation, and renewed appreciation of this overlooked fruit, sometimes called the “poor man’s banana.”

National Red Velvet Cake Day honors a dessert with roots stretching back to the 19th century but popularized during the Great Depression when cocoa was marketed as an affordable baking ingredient. Both the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and Eaton’s Department Store in Canada are credited with popularizing red velvet cake in the 1930s. Its status as a cultural icon grew further after featuring in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias. Today, it’s not just a beloved treat but also a symbolic dish for Juneteenth celebrations, where its deep red hue represents resilience and remembrance.

National Report Kickback Fraud Day was founded in 2017 by Joel D. Hesch, a former Department of Justice attorney, to empower citizens to report illegal kickback schemes in healthcare and military contracting. Kickbacks—unlawful payments or incentives exchanged for business referrals—drain billions from taxpayers each year. The day educates people on how to recognize and report fraud through whistleblower programs, which not only protect public funds but also reward individuals who come forward with credible information.

National Respect Day began in 2008 as a collaboration between the Family Violence Prevention Fund (now Futures Without Violence) and Macy’s. Its purpose is to raise awareness about domestic violence, dating abuse, and sexual assault while promoting respect as a cornerstone of healthy relationships. Launched through rallies, campus campaigns, and media outreach, the day continues to stress the importance of dignity and kindness in preventing violence and building supportive communities.

Purple Bra Day 🇦🇺 is a fundraising campaign of Breast Cancer Care WA that began in the 2000s. Supporters wear bright purple bras over their clothes to spark conversations and raise money for free nursing, counseling, and financial assistance services for people affected by breast cancer in Western Australia. By turning something playful into a serious call for support, Purple Bra Day has grown into a major annual event that demonstrates solidarity and ensures vital resources for patients and their families.

Read an Ebook Day was created in 2014 by OverDrive, a major digital reading platform for libraries, to promote the accessibility and benefits of ebooks. Celebrated each September 18, the day highlights the convenience of digital reading, the portability of entire libraries on one device, and the role ebooks play in ensuring equal access for people with disabilities. The day gained special relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital lending kept libraries connected with their patrons worldwide.

Read An eBook Day

Rice Krispies Treats Day pays tribute to the gooey, marshmallow-bonded cereal bars invented in 1939 by Kellogg’s employees Mildred Day and Malitta Jensen as a Camp Fire Girls fundraiser. Kellogg’s popularized the recipe by printing it on cereal boxes in 1941, and it has since become one of America’s most beloved no-bake desserts. September 18 celebrates both the simplicity of the treat and its enduring place in lunchboxes, bake sales, and family kitchens.

U.S. Air Force Day commemorates the establishment of the U.S. Air Force as an independent branch of the military on September 18, 1947, under the National Security Act signed by President Harry S. Truman. Although military aviation traces its roots back to the U.S. Army Signal Corps Aeronautical Division in 1907, World War II highlighted the need for a separate branch dedicated to air power. Today, the Air Force plays a critical role in national defense, space operations, and global security.

World Bamboo Day was founded by Kamesh Salam, then-president of the World Bamboo Organization, and officially declared in 2009 at the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok. Chosen to align with Thailand’s Royal Forestry Day, it raises awareness about bamboo as a sustainable material. Fast-growing and versatile, bamboo supports livelihoods, prevents soil erosion, and serves as an eco-friendly substitute for plastics and wood. The day underscores bamboo’s role in sustainable development and green innovation.

World Water Monitoring Day, launched in 2003 by America’s Clean Water Foundation, mobilizes citizens to test local water quality and share their results. Originally set for October 18 to mark the U.S. Clean Water Act, it was moved to September 18 in 2007 to accommodate colder climates. Now coordinated by EarthEcho International as the EarthEcho Water Challenge, the initiative engages volunteers worldwide in protecting water resources through citizen science.