National Courtesy Month
September 1 - September 30
About National Courtesy Month
National Courtesy Month takes place every September and invites people across the United States to reflect on the small acts of kindness and consideration that make daily life better for everyone. Observed throughout the entire month, it is a reminder that courtesy, patience, and basic good manners have a genuine and measurable impact on communities, workplaces, and relationships.
What is National Courtesy Month?
National Courtesy Month is a month-long observance held each September to encourage people to practise and promote courtesy in their everyday lives. The observance covers a broad range of behaviours, from saying please and thank you to holding doors open, being patient in queues, and treating service workers with respect. It applies equally to personal interactions, professional settings, and online communication, where courtesy is often in short supply. No single organisation is recorded as the official founder, but the month has grown organically since the early 2000s, supported by educators, businesses, and community groups across the country.
When is National Courtesy Month?
National Courtesy Month runs throughout September 2026, from Tuesday, 1 September to Wednesday, 30 September 2026. It is observed every year during September.
Why National Courtesy Month Matters
Research in social psychology consistently shows that small acts of courtesy have a disproportionately positive effect on mood, cooperation, and trust. A study by the Gallup Organisation found that employees who feel respected by their colleagues and managers are significantly more productive and less likely to leave their jobs. In everyday public life, communities where people regularly exchange courteous behaviour tend to have lower reported levels of conflict and higher overall wellbeing scores. In an age where digital communication has stripped away many of the visual and tonal cues that prompt polite behaviour, National Courtesy Month offers a timely prompt to be more intentional about how we treat one another, both online and in person.
How to Get Involved in National Courtesy Month
Courtesy does not require grand gestures. Here are seven practical ways to participate throughout September:
- Start with the basics – Make a deliberate effort to say please, thank you, and excuse me throughout the day. These three phrases smooth most social interactions and signal respect for the people around you.
- Practise active listening – Rather than planning your next response while someone speaks, focus entirely on what they are saying. Genuine listening is one of the most powerful forms of courtesy, and one of the rarest.
- Be patient in public – Whether you are in a queue, driving in traffic, or waiting for a table, practise patience as a conscious choice. Frustration is contagious; so is composure.
- Acknowledge service workers – Make eye contact, use names where you can see them on name badges, and take a moment to genuinely thank cashiers, delivery drivers, cleaners, and anyone else who provides a service you rely on.
- Improve your digital manners – Reread emails and messages before sending them to check for tone. Avoid passive-aggressive phrasing, respond promptly when someone is waiting on you, and resist the impulse to post dismissively in online communities.
- Teach children courtesy through example – Children learn courtesy by observation. Modelling polite behaviour consistently, particularly under pressure, is the most effective form of courtesy education.
- Organise a workplace courtesy challenge – Invite colleagues to commit to one specific courtesy practice for the month, such as responding to emails within 24 hours or beginning every meeting by acknowledging the contributions of others.
History of National Courtesy Month
The precise origins of National Courtesy Month are not recorded with a single founding moment or organisation. The observance appears to have developed in the early 2000s, building on a long tradition of organised politeness campaigns. Singapore’s National Courtesy Campaign, launched in 1979, is one of the most prominent international examples of government-led courtesy promotion. In the United States, etiquette and good manners have been a topic of formal public discourse since at least the 19th century, when books on social behaviour were bestsellers.
National Courtesy Month gained recognition as schools, businesses, and community organisations adopted it as a framework for discussing respect and considerate behaviour. In educational settings, it became a natural fit for the start of the school year, allowing teachers to set expectations for classroom conduct. In businesses, HR departments began using the month as a prompt for respectful workplace initiatives. The growth of social media, which accelerated from the mid-2000s onwards, added new urgency to the idea of a dedicated month for courtesy, as online interactions increasingly became a domain of sharp elbows and poor manners.
Noteworthy Facts About National Courtesy Month
- Singapore’s National Courtesy Campaign, one of the world’s most prominent organised politeness programmes, has been running since 1979.
- Research shows that expressing gratitude improves both the wellbeing of the person expressing it and the person receiving it, a finding consistent across multiple psychology studies.
- The word “courtesy” derives from the Old French “corteis,” meaning “having courtly manners,” reflecting its origins in medieval codes of conduct for nobility.
- Studies on workplace culture consistently find that teams with higher levels of respectful behaviour outperform those where discourtesy is common, not just in morale but in measurable output.
- Online incivility has been linked in multiple studies to increased stress, reduced productivity, and withdrawal from professional communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Courtesy Month?
National Courtesy Month is a September observance in the United States that encourages people to practise and promote kindness, patience, and respect in daily interactions, whether in person, at work, or online.
When is National Courtesy Month in 2026?
National Courtesy Month runs throughout September 2026, from 1 September to 30 September 2026.
Who started National Courtesy Month?
No single founder or organisation is officially recorded as establishing National Courtesy Month. The observance developed organically from the early 2000s, supported by educators, businesses, and community groups who adopted September as a month to promote respectful behaviour.
Spread the Word
Help make September a month of genuine consideration and kindness. Share National Courtesy Month with your community using the hashtags #NationalCourtesyMonth and #NationalCourtesyMonth2026 on social media. The more people who join in, the more contagious courtesy becomes.
Related Awareness Days
- Everywoman Day – Observed on 15 September, this day honours the contributions and dignity of women across all walks of life, values closely aligned with courtesy and respect.
- International Literacy Day – Marked on 8 September, this UNESCO day focuses on education and communication, tools that underpin courteous and thoughtful interaction.
- World Social Media Day – Celebrated on 30 June, this day is a natural companion to Courtesy Month’s focus on digital manners and online respect.
Links
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