Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal has proclaimed Friday, Sept. 25, Dolly Parton Appreciation Day to honor the entertainer’s journey from humble beginnings in Tennessee to worldwide stardom.
The proclamation recognizes Parton’s decades of work in music and entertainment, as well as her philanthropy and humanitarian efforts, including ongoing support for children, literacy, and education.
“Dolly Parton’s compassion, resilience, humor, and dedication to giving back have made her an enduring symbol of hope and generosity, touching countless lives far beyond the stage and screen,” Hoylman-Sigal said in the proclamation.
The Sept. 25 date was chosen as a nod to Parton’s song “9 to 5,” the theme for the 1980 film of the same name. The song earned Parton an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and helped cement her as an international star.
The proclamation also recognizes Parton’s broader impact on entertainment and culture outside of her recording and acting careers.
Manhattan’s designation follows a wave of tributes across New York City after Parton died Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80. Commemorations included the Empire State Building, which was illuminated in pink in her memory.
Central to Parton’s philanthropic legacy is the Imagination Library, a literacy program she launched in 1995 that mails free books to registered children from birth through age 5. Parton has said her commitment to literacy was shaped in part by her father’s inability to read. The program has since expanded internationally, distributing more than 38 million books to children over the past year alone.
Additional details about Dolly Parton Appreciation Day events in Manhattan are expected to be announced later.