Google Calendar Removes Black History Month & Pride Month
Google has removed references to Black History Month, Pride and Women's History Month from its Calendar service, a move that has sparked criticism from users and industry observers.
The company previously marked these events, but they will no longer be included in the 2025 calendar, requiring users to manually add them if desired.
A Google spokesperson, Madison Cushman Veld, defended the decision, stating that maintaining an extensive list of cultural events was not "scalable or sustainable".
Instead, the Calendar service will now focus exclusively on public holidays and national observances, sourced from timeanddate.com.
The change follows a broader shift within Google companies where commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are being reassessed amid political and economic pressures.
Tech industry scaling back DEI commitments
Google's decision to remove cultural events from its Calendar platform is part of a wider rollback of DEI initiatives.
The company recently revised its approach to workplace diversity policies following executive orders from US President Donald Trump which directed federal agencies to curb DEI programs.
In an official statement, Google maintained its commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace.
“We're committed to creating a workplace where all our employees can succeed and have equal opportunities,” a company spokesperson said.
However, the spokesperson also acknowledged that Google is "evaluating changes required following recent court decisions and executive orders on this topic."
This shift comes despite Google previously making strides in racial equity, including a 2022 pledge to increase Black+, Latinx+, and Native American+ leadership representation by 30%.
Melonie Parker, who was, until February 2025, Google's Chief Diversity Officer and is now VP of Googler Engagement, reinforced this commitment at the time.
“Google’s mission – to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful – requires us to design, create and build for everyone, every day,” she explained.
“We do a better job for our users when we keep that mission front and centre.”
Is corporate culture changing?
The removal of cultural events from Google Calendar is emblematic of broader concerns about the future of DEI in the tech sector.
While Google asserts that it continues to celebrate cultural moments through other products such as YouTube Music's Black History Month playlist, critics argue that the move signals a de-prioritisation of inclusion efforts.
For businesses reliant on Google's ecosystem, this change may necessitate alternative strategies to diverse cultural observances remain integrated into corporate calendars.
The shift also raises questions about how tech companies balance operational efficiency with commitments to diversity and representation.
Google has confirmed that the Calendar changes will not affect other cultural acknowledgments, such as Google Doodles, which frequently celebrate historical and cultural events.
Nevertheless, the decision underscores the ongoing debate over the role of DEI in major corporations, particularly in the face of evolving political and legal landscapes.
As sustainability professionals assess corporate strategies, Google's latest move is a reminder of the delicate balance between operational pragmatism and maintaining inclusive policies in an increasingly polarised environment.
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