History

Leadership

Programs

German-American
Heritage Museum
of the USA™

Distinguished German-American of the Year™

Oral History Research Project

German-American Day

Carl Schurz Gravesite

German-American Friendship Garden

Internship + Volunteer
Opportunities

Programs

German-American Day

Every year on October 6, Americans of German descent have the opportunity to celebrate their ancestry. Proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan as German- American Day in 1987, it is an ethnic holiday which affords German Americans an opportunity to recall their history, their contributions and their achievements.

German Americans continue to represent the largest ethnic group in the United States. According to the 2000 Census, 43 million Americans claim German ancestry, representing 15 percent of the total population. While parts of the Midwest, Pennsylvania, and Texas still proudly bear the stamp of the large German populations of the last century, it is their widespread assimilation and far-reaching activities that have earned German-Americans a distinguished reputation in all regions of the United States and in all walks of life. From Doris Day to Henry Kissinger, from Carl Schurz to Babe Ruth, German-American inventors, scientists, political leaders, physicians, civic leaders, entrepreneurs, lawyers, judges, artists, poets, explorers, novelists, and those in other fields have made significant contributions to the quality of life we all enjoy. Yet, even these many distinguished names cannot begin to summarize all the gifts that German-Americans have brought to our nation's history.