California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a proclamation declaring September 25, 2026, as "Dolly Parton Day," the state's inaugural observance of the date.
The proclamation notes that Parton is known for songs including "9 to 5" — a song referenced today on 9-2-5 — and "I Will Always Love You," which Whitney Houston covered to global acclaim. It says she was enormously successful not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter and actress, and was beloved not just for her talent but for how she made people feel and how she connected with people from every community and background.
According to the proclamation, Parton was one of 12 children from a poor family in Appalachia and used to pray for success so she would have "enough to share and enough to spare." Her philanthropy, it says, was remarkable in its diversity, thoughtfulness and sheer quantity. She gave back to the region where she grew up, establishing college scholarship programs and paying for band uniforms and instruments at her alma mater and in underserved Black high schools across Tennessee. When wildfires and other disasters hit the state, she offered impacted families long-term, no-strings-attached funding to help them get back on their feet.
The proclamation says Parton spoke up for marginalized and targeted communities, funded clinics and organizations fighting HIV/AIDS, invested in Black communities and businesses, and created the Imagination Library, an early literacy program that mails free books to registered children from birth to age 5. California proudly partners with the Imagination Library and was among the first states to offer a bilingual option.
"Now therefore I, Gavin Newsom, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim September 25, 2026 as 'Dolly Parton Day,'" the proclamation reads. It urges Californians to honor her by being "just a bit kinder, a bit more generous, and a bit more fun."