Wednesday, April 8, 2026

L.A. County Proclaims Armenian History Month for 10th Consecutive Year

Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial

Supervisors Barger and Hahn cite 111th anniversary of genocide and ongoing displacement from Artsakh

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to proclaim April 2026 as Armenian History Month, the 10th consecutive year the Board has approved the designation honoring the cultural heritage, resilience, and contributions of the county’s Armenian community.

The motion, authored by 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger and 4th District Supervisor Janice Hahn, arrives as Armenians worldwide prepare to mark the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24. The Board’s proclamation also acknowledges the displacement of more than 100,000 Armenians from Artsakh in September 2023, according to a press release from the supervisors’ offices.

“My district is home to the largest Armenian diaspora in the country, and thousands of my constituents are proud members of the Armenian community,” Barger said in a statement. “I have seen firsthand how their culture, resilience, and values enrich the diverse fabric of Los Angeles County.”

Barger’s 5th District, which includes Pasadena and the unincorporated community of Altadena, is home to one of the oldest Armenian communities in Southern California. Armenians first settled in Pasadena in the late 1890s, and the community grew after survivors of the Genocide arrived in the early 1920s. The area remains a center of Armenian life in the region, with multiple Armenian churches, schools, and cultural organizations.

Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of Armenians outside of Armenia, with census estimates placing the county’s Armenian population at approximately 188,000 residents. Barger and Hahn first secured the April designation in 2017. The two supervisors have co-authored the motion each year since.

“Los Angeles County is the proud home to the largest population of Armenians outside of Armenia,” Hahn said in a statement. “It is important that we take this opportunity during Armenian History Month to recognize the Armenian Americans who have made a difference in our communities and celebrate the Armenian culture, while also joining our residents in commemorating and mourning the Armenian Genocide.”

The Armenian Genocide began on April 24, 1915, when Ottoman authorities arrested and deported hundreds of Armenian intellectuals from Constantinople. An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the years that followed.

The Board also approved a separate motion Tuesday designating April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day throughout Los Angeles County. That motion was authored by Barger and 1st District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis.

Later this month, Barger will recognize outstanding members of the Armenian community during the Board of Supervisors public hearing on April 28, according to the press release.

“Proclaiming April as Armenian History Month is a meaningful way to celebrate their enduring contributions and honor their history,” Barger said.