National High Five Day History: How 3 Students Launched the High Five Craze
Raising palms, slapping hands—the satisfying smack of skin meeting skin. The exuberant high five is a globally recognized gesture, but do you know the National High Five Day history behind this spirited celebration staple and its specially designated holiday?
Every third Thursday of April, people across the world observe National High Five Day, a day to spread positive vibes through the simple yet uplifting motion of the high five. But the festive occasion didn’t start with any official decree or legislative act. Rather, it began with three college friends at the University of Virginia who designated a day for high fiving in 2002.
The lighthearted holiday has since evolved into an international event, reminding us of the joy sparked by human connection. And while the exact origins of the very first high five remain shrouded in mystery, popular legend points to pioneering high five moments between sports celebrities.
Let’s rewind through the playful lore behind the gestural greeting and trace back to the launch of National High Five Day history‘s commemorative holiday.
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The Murky Origins Surrounding National High Five Day History
Like many customs rooted in African American culture, nailing down the exact inception of the exuberant high five is tricky. No one really knows who slapped palms first or when the nimble hand gesture first emerged.
But while we lack documentation of the very first high five, legends abound regarding sporting events in the late 1970s that may have spurred the craze.
Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke: Baseball Trailblazers?
The most popular origin story involves Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke, former teammates on the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball franchise. As the lore goes, Burke raised his hand for a celebratory slap the moment Baker hit his 30th home run on October 2, 1977, at Dodger Stadium.
Unsure how to respond to the unprecedented uplifted hand, Baker gave it a firm whack, thus sealing one of the first legendary moments in National High Five Day history.
Wiley Brown and Derek Smith: Hoops Hotshots
Not to be outdone, devotees of college basketball also stake their claim on pioneering the preppy palm slap.
The apocryphal tale describes Louisville Cardinals players Derek Smith and Wiley Brown inaugurating the double-handed high five during the 1978-1979 season.
The story goes that Brown initially went in for a low five, but Smith suggestively held his hand aloft and said “No, up high.” Brown then slapped Smith’s raised palm, etching their names in the mythos of the high five.
The High Five Arrives at the University of Virginia
The light bulb moment occurred in 2002 when University of Virginia students Sam Miotke, Conor Lastowka, and Wynn Walent designated the third Thursday of April as the first annual “National High Five Day.”
The trio spotlighted the date during their sophomore year to inject their Charlottesville campus with a dash of positivity. They celebrated that initial National High Five Day by mingling with fellow students and offering spirited high fives along with free lemonade.
Viral Popularity: High Fiving from Coast to Coast
The charismatic concept of National High Five Day history crafted by those three Virginia students soon rippled beyond university grounds. Enthusiastic online chatter spread the high five holiday across the United States over the early 2000s.
By the 2010s, the holiday gained more popularity, thanks to social media and internet word-of-mouth. Every third Thursday of April, fans now coordinate mass high five events and cheerily trend hashtags like #NationalHighFiveDay.
High Fives: The Scientific Secrets Behind the Slap
The cultural craze surrounding National High Five Day history speaks to the gesture’s deeper social and psychological impact. Beyond sporty enthusiasm or viral trends, science says the effusive hand slap carries surprising benefits.
Promoting Positivity & Community
Studies on positive psychology show that high fiving builds happiness and connection by:
- Boosting mood through smiles and laughter
- Releasing feel-good endorphins
- Building trust and camaraderie when teammates high five
- Forging a sense of community belonging
So by launching National High Five Day, those pioneering University of Virginia students tapped into a secret superpower—the high five as a tool for spreading joy.
Low Fives & Primate Precursors
Tracing the human behavior behind high fiving also reveals fascinating evolutionary clues. Scientists point to chimpanzee behaviors involving raised palms and hand claps, suggesting an ancient primate precursor to high fives.
And while the speedy upward slap defines today’s enthusiastic high five, its origin derives from the 1920’s popularization of the jazzier “low five.”
So the high five not only lightens spirits today, it also reflects some deep roots in our social DNA!
Celebrating Connections on National High Five Day
Thanks to those spirited Virginia students Sam, Conor, and Wynn, the culture now has a dedicated occasion to celebrate positive connections derived from National High Five Day history. By transforming their campus craze into a national viral event, they solidified the high five’s role in bringing people together.
Now every April, schools, workplaces, community groups, sports teams, and complete strangers unite through palm slaps in honor of this zeitgeist-capturing holiday.
Even two decades beyond that first National High Five Day in 2002, we still feel the ripple effect of an iconic gesture spreading universal joy.
Passing the High Five Torch
This friendly holiday carries no rules or limitations on participation, welcoming all who wish to spread its message. Any organized group can host high five celebrations and challenges to pass along the uplifting tradition.
Getting Creative with Your High Fives
Get those creative juices flowing! Variations on traditional high fives let you tailor the festivity:
- Two-Handed High Fives: Double the impact!
- Low Fives: Give props to the original high five precursor.
- High Five Gauntlets: High five everyone in an epic relay line.
- Air Fives: High Fives Without Contact
- Air Fives: When social distancing in person, just imagine the slap.
- Virtual High Fives: Position your webcam optimally with PlexiCam and send a high five emoji on video calls to connect. Take advantage of these PlexiCam coupons to upgrade your webcam. By embracing virtual means of connection backed by tech improvements like adjustable webcam arms, we can still capture the holiday’s spirit.
- GIF High Fives: Share celebratory high five GIFs digitally with friends near and far.
- Online Events: Organize video call high five chains using properly placed webcams for optimal enjoyment.
- #NationalHighFiveDay: Use this hashtag to find and share global high fiving moments enhanced by tools like PlexiCam.
Thanks to tools like PlexiCam, an adjustable webcam arm, we can make online connections feel more engaging on video calls for virtual high fiving through better eye contact for more authentic digital interactions.
However you contribute your palm to the day and the National High Five Day history, remember that the simplest gesture can have the greatest impact. Lift your hand to lift someone’s spirit!
Read on: Happy National High Five Day Comes Early: Spread the Love Today!
Keeping the National High Five Day History Alive
As we’ve explored the National High Five Day history, the origins of the very first high five may never be conclusively proven. Tales of Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke or Derek Smith and Wiley Brown pioneering the upbeat palm slap remain suspended in sports lore.
And while the exact path of how the gestural greeting spread across cultures is unclear, there’s no doubt that by 2002, three students felt compelled to immortalize it with a holiday. By launching National High Five Day and sparking a viral sensation, they ensured the high five claimed its fame not just as a frivolous fad but a legitimate phenomenon.
Indeed, the cultural craze surrounding National High Five Day history and this holiday speaks to the deeper human need for positivity and connection. In a complex world, sometimes the simplest expressions resonate most profoundly.
So this April, heed the high five’s call! Revel in the scientific secrets that make such gestures so powerful while you tap into their social magic. If we let it, something as small as a slap of palms can give us big hope for human harmony.
