Orange Shirt Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Saturday, September 30th. There are until the next observance.

Orange Shirt Day is observed on September 30 each year in memory of indigenous Canadian children who were transported to residential schools and forced to adapt to the dominant Canadian culture. This day is a reminder that we should help survivors and stand up against all kinds of racism, including systemic racism and bullying.

📆 When is Orange Shirt Day?

This year, Orange Shirt Day is on September 30th. It is the 5th Saturday in September; in 2024, it is on Monday.

Countdown to Orange Shirt Day

Did you know: Prior to the late 1400s, orange was known in Europe as yellow-red.

You can also discover all exciting things you didn’t know about and facts about September 30, 2023.

📜 History of Orange Shirt Day

The government of Canada supported a network of boarding and day schools known as residential schools. The schools’ ultimate purpose was to isolate the students from their original traditions, even going so far as to prevent them from speaking their ancestral languages. To avoid parental visits, schools were established at substantial distances from indigenous settlements. Approximately 150,000 youngsters were sent to residential schools in all. Students had to deal with too many people, not enough food, bad medical care, and physical and sexual assaults.
The origins of Orange Shirt Day may be traced back to the St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project reunion gathering in 2013, at which Phylis Westbad shared her story with the globe. Phylis was given an orange blouse by her grandma just before leaving her family for residential school when she was six years old. When she got to school, however, the clothing was confiscated, and she never saw it again. Since then, the orange shirt has come to represent the systematic destruction of local customs as well as the children’s sad experiences.
The day’s motto is “Every Child Matters,” even if they’re adults now. It serves as a reminder that every child, regardless of culture, color, or religion, deserves equal opportunity and fair treatment.

☑️ Orange Shirt Day facts

Color of nobles
Only the nobility were permitted to wear the color orange during the Elizabethan era.

Color of entertainment
In Europe and the United States, orange and yellow are most often linked to fun and enjoyment.

Color of warning
The color orange is intended to warn individuals of possible danger, which is why it is used for lifejackets, buoys, and traffic cones.

Things to do on Orange Shirt Day

Wear orange
Wearing an orange shirt shows your support for survivors and your opposition to all types of prejudice. Make it a memorable day for your school or organization by encouraging students to wear orange.

Learn more
Learning from history’s errors keeps us from making the same ones. Learn more about the history of “Orange Shirt Day” in order to empathize with survivors.

Live it
Allow the spirit of the day to encourage you to be friendlier to everyone around you, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Live its values every day of the year, not just on one day.

📅 Orange Shirt Day Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2023 September 30 Saturday
2024 September 30 Monday
2025 September 30 Tuesday
2026 September 30 Wednesday
2027 September 30 Thursday

Discover all September holidays, including Cause and other Awareness holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and cool facts about Orange Shirt Day. So be sure to check back soon.