Dolly Parton Day recognises the music and generosity behind a beloved LGBTQ+ ally
California’s Dolly Parton Day recognises her music, LGBTQ+ allyship and charitable work, including the Imagination Library’s free books.
Dolly Parton’s music and charitable legacy have been recognised with an annual day in her honour in California. September 25 has been chosen as Dolly Parton Day, giving the date a direct connection to one of her best-known songs.
Written in the American month-first style, the date becomes 9-25. It is a nod to 9 to 5, the song that also lent its name to her film debut and remains closely associated with her career.
The legislation establishing the annual observance was signed on September 20. A separate proclamation followed on September 25, recognising her work as a songwriter, performer, philanthropist and supporter of communities facing discrimination.
For LGBTQ+ audiences, the recognition includes an important part of that wider legacy. The state’s tribute acknowledges her support for LGBTQ+ people and organisations involved in tackling HIV and AIDS.
Her charitable work also extends into the everyday lives of families through the Imagination Library. Despite its name, this is not a building that children visit, but a programme that sends books directly to their homes.
The scheme provides free books to registered children from birth to age five. Its purpose is to help children build a relationship with reading before they begin school, without making family income the deciding factor.
It started in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Parton grew up. The programme subsequently expanded beyond its original community, reaching the United Kingdom in 2007 and the Republic of Ireland in 2019.
That international reach gives the California recognition a connection with families much closer to home. A child receiving an Imagination Library book in Britain is taking part in a project that began with a local ambition in Tennessee.
Availability depends on participating programmes, so living in a country where the scheme operates does not automatically mean every address is covered. Families can check their area through the Imagination Library’s availability service.
The annual day brings those different parts of Parton’s legacy together. Alongside the songs and screen performances, it recognises the practical generosity of books delivered to children and support directed towards people who needed it.
