National Interpreter Appreciation Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
Minnesota Judicial Branch explicitly references National Interpreter Appreciation Day on Wednesday, May 6, 2026; Illinois court and public-school calendars place the observance on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 and Wednesday, May 5, 2027, supporting the first-Wednesday-in-May rule.
About National Interpreter Appreciation Day
National Interpreter Appreciation Day is a grassroots appreciation observance held on the first Wednesday in May to recognize interpreters who help people communicate across signed and spoken languages and across public-service, education, healthcare, legal and community settings.
Contemporary 2013 Deaf-community reporting identifies deaf-blind advocate Joshua Jones as the creator of the original Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook effort and documents May 1, 2013 as the first official observance.
Why National Interpreter Appreciation Day matters
The day was created to give interpreters visible appreciation for work that is often performed in demanding settings where accurate communication and access matter directly to people’s safety, rights, education and daily lives.
Jones later explained that the public reaction to ASL interpreter Lydia Callis during Hurricane Sandy helped motivate him to ask whether interpreters had a dedicated appreciation day. The resulting Facebook community polled participants and adopted a recurring May observance.
History of National Interpreter Appreciation Day
On April 23, 2013, Deaf-community publication deaffriendly reported that Joshua Jones had started the Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook page and that, after a unanimous poll among participants, the appreciation event would recur on the first Wednesday of May. The article identified Wednesday, May 1, 2013 as the upcoming first event.
A separate April 30, 2013 contemporaneous post reproduced language from the Facebook group saying May 1 would be the first official Interpreter Appreciation Day and then clarified the recurring rule as the first Wednesday in May. One embedded sentence contains an apparent weekday typo referring to a first Monday, but the exact date, the same post’s later clarification and subsequent observance history all support the first-Wednesday rule.
A May 7, 2014 deaffriendly follow-up called that date the second annual Interpreter Appreciation Day and again identified Jones as the person who started the Official Interpreter Appreciation Day page, further corroborating the 2013 launch and first-Wednesday recurrence.
In a later interview, Jones personally described how criticism directed at ASL interpreter Lydia Callis during Hurricane Sandy prompted him to think about interpreter recognition, how he created the Facebook page and how participants voted on the date. Current court and public-institution sources continue to recognize the first Wednesday in May.
The reviewed evidence supports Joshua Jones as creator and May 1, 2013 as the first official observance. It does not establish a statute, proclamation or other formal founding instrument, a single exclusive present-day coordinator, or why the first Wednesday was preferred over other dates in the original poll.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Joshua Jones
Contemporary April 2013 deaffriendly coverage identifies Joshua Jones as the deaf-blind Seattle resident who started the Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook page; Jones later personally described creating the effort in a 2021 interview.
Joshua Jones / Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook community
The observance began as a grassroots Facebook effort started by Joshua Jones. Contemporary 2013 reporting documents the community poll that adopted the recurring appreciation event; no government body is treated as the creator.
First documented observance
Contemporary April 2013 coverage says Wednesday, May 1 would be the first Interpreter Appreciation Day, and a separate April 30 post reproduces the group statement that May 1 would be the first official observance. A May 2014 follow-up calls the 2014 event the second annual observance.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Interpreter Appreciation Day
How to Observe National Interpreter Appreciation Day
Thank an interpreter whose work has helped you, your family, your organization or your community communicate more effectively.
Recognize interpreters in workplaces, courts, schools, healthcare settings and community organizations with specific appreciation for the skill, preparation and professionalism their work requires.
Learn about interpreter access, professional ethics and the difference between interpreting and other forms of communication support.
Support policies and practices that provide qualified interpreters when communication access is needed rather than treating interpretation as an informal favor.
If you share appreciation publicly, respect interpreters’ confidentiality obligations and avoid disclosing private details about assignments or the people involved.
National Interpreter Appreciation Day Facts
National Interpreter Appreciation Day is observed on the first Wednesday in May.
Contemporary 2013 Deaf-community reporting identifies Joshua Jones as the creator of the original Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook effort.
May 1, 2013 is documented as the first official Interpreter Appreciation Day.
The date rule was selected through a poll involving the original Facebook community.
Joshua Jones later said the reaction to ASL interpreter Lydia Callis during Hurricane Sandy helped inspire him to create the observance.
Current courts and public institutions continue to recognize Interpreter Appreciation Day on the first Wednesday in May.
National Interpreter Appreciation Day Messages
Happy Interpreter Appreciation Day—thank you to the interpreters who make communication, access and understanding possible every day.
On Interpreter Appreciation Day, we celebrate the skill, preparation and professionalism interpreters bring to every conversation they help make accessible.
Thank you to interpreters working in schools, courts, hospitals, workplaces and communities—your work helps people participate, understand and be understood.
Wishing interpreters everywhere a meaningful appreciation day and recognition for the care, accuracy and responsibility their work requires.
Happy Interpreter Appreciation Day to the professionals who bridge communication gaps while respecting the people, languages and communities they serve.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County — Court Interpreter Appreciation Day, May 1, 2024; describes the national celebration as taking place on the first Wednesday in May (opens in a new tab)
Minnesota Judicial Branch — Court Interpreter Day, May 6 2026 (opens in a new tab)
State Judiciary
JJones Design Co. — Joshua Jones’s own press page, listing the 2021 profile describing him as the person who started National Interpreter Appreciation Day in 2013 (opens in a new tab)
17th Judicial Circuit Illinois — National Interpreter Day 2025 (opens in a new tab)
State Court
Albuquerque Public Schools — 2026–2027 appreciation dates (opens in a new tab)
Public School Calendar
deaffriendly — 7 May 2014 second-annual follow-up identifying Jones as the page creator and first Wednesday as the recurring rule (opens in a new tab)
deaffriendly — contemporaneous 23 April 2013 origin/launch report with direct quotes from Joshua Jones (opens in a new tab)
Filipino Deaf from the Eyes of a Hearing Person — contemporaneous 30 April 2013 reproduction of the original group language naming May 1 as the first official observance (opens in a new tab)
Show 1 additional source reference
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Interpreter Appreciation Day?
First Wednesday in May The documented recurrence rule is: First Wednesday in May..
Does National Interpreter Appreciation Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is National Interpreter Appreciation Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / interpreter appreciation observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Interpreter Appreciation Day?
The reviewed sources identify Joshua Jones / Official Interpreter Appreciation Day Facebook community as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Joshua Jones.
Is National Interpreter Appreciation Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / interpreter appreciation observance.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-10.
When is National Interpreter Appreciation Day?
It is observed on the first Wednesday in May.
Who created Interpreter Appreciation Day?
Contemporary 2013 coverage and a later first-person interview identify deaf-blind advocate Joshua Jones as the creator of the original grassroots Interpreter Appreciation Day effort.
When was the first Interpreter Appreciation Day?
The reviewed contemporary evidence identifies May 1, 2013 as the first official observance.
Why was Interpreter Appreciation Day created?
Joshua Jones said the idea grew from seeing interpreters’ work go underappreciated and, in particular, from the public reaction to ASL interpreter Lydia Callis during Hurricane Sandy.
Why is it on the first Wednesday in May?
The original Facebook community selected the recurring date through a poll. The reviewed sources establish that polling process, but not the specific reason the first Wednesday was preferred over other options.
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