A little reason to celebrate
Sacagawea Day
History ยท December 20
Sacagawea Day honors the Lemhi Shoshone woman who traveled with the Lewis and Clark expedition as an interpreter, carrying her infant son.
Sacagawea Day falls on Sunday, December 20, 2026. That is 54 days away.
Sacagawea was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who traveled west with the Lewis and Clark expedition. She joined the group as an interpreter and made much of the long journey with her baby son strapped to her back.
Her value to the expedition was practical and steady. She knew the Shoshone language, which mattered when the travelers needed horses to cross the mountains. She recognized parts of the land from her childhood. Her presence also told the nations they met that this was not a war party, since a group traveling with a woman and an infant rarely was.
Much of her life outside the expedition is uncertain, and historians still disagree on details, including how her name should be spelled and said. That gap is part of what makes her interesting. People know her mostly through the journals of the men she traveled with, so readers learn to look between the lines.
Marking the day tends to be quiet and curious. Some people read about the expedition route or visit a museum, a historical marker, or a statue. Others learn about the Lemhi Shoshone today, a living people with their own account of her story. Teachers often use the day to talk about who gets remembered in history and how.
You may already carry a reminder of her. A golden dollar coin issued by the United States Mint shows her with her son, looking over her shoulder at whoever holds it.
Ways to celebrate
- Read a few excerpts from the Lewis and Clark expedition journals.
- Look for a statue, marker, or museum exhibit about Sacagawea nearby.
- Learn about the Lemhi Shoshone people from sources they have shared.
- Look closely at a Sacagawea dollar coin if you can find one.
- Trace the expedition route on a map with a child or friend.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, December 20 |
| 2027 | Monday, December 20 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, December 20 |
| 2029 | Thursday, December 20 |
| 2030 | Friday, December 20 |
All national days on December 20
Also on December 20
Categories: History days