Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed September 2023 as Macedonian American Heritage Month. According to Whitmer, it is important to highlight the contributions and cultural impact of Macedonian Americans in the United States.

“September holds significance for Macedonian Americans as it marks the anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Macedonia, symbolizing the country’s journey towards sovereignty and its enduring ties to the Macedonian American community,” reads the Governor’s statement.

Americans of Macedonian descent, it adds, have contributed to the fabric of American culture through their involvement in business, sport, art, politics, medicine, law, culture, the culinary arts, and countless other fields.

Detroit is set to host activities and programs related to Macedonian culture over the weekend, and the 49th national church gathering organized by the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA) will also be held.

Whitmer notes that Macedonian immigration to the United States has been ongoing for over a century, culminating in significant populations estimated at over half a million Americans of Macedonian descent living in the United States.

The proclamation is at the request of the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD).

“UMD is actively working to have every state and city where there are Macedonians declare a Macedonian Heritage Month. This initiative started in 2020 and will continue in the future,” said co-founder and volunteer president of the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), Meto Koloski.

In 2020, Michigan proclaimed September 8 as Macedonian American Day, and in 2021, the Michigan House of Representatives adopted a resolution declaring September as Macedonian American Heritage Month.

Michigan is home to an estimated 125,000 Americans of Macedonian heritage.

In July 2023, Republican Senator Mike Braun submitted a resolution to the United States Senate designating September 2023 as “Macedonian American Heritage Month”, celebrating the Macedonian language, history, and culture.

The resolution, introduced by Braun, the only senator who is a member of the Friends of Macedonia and Macedonian Americans Committee in the U.S. Congress, must first be approved by the Judiciary Committee before the Senate can vote on it.