National High Five Day Date in the current year: April 16, 2026

A high five is a gesture in which two people raise one hand each and slap their open palms together, typically at head height. It is generally used to express celebration, congratulations, shared excitement, or agreement. The gesture is so ubiquitous that you may be surprised to learn that it has only been around for about five decades.

The origins of the gesture are unclear. Its antecedent, the low five, has been around since at least the 1920s. It originated as a symbol of unity within the African-American community. The high five was presumably invented in the late 1970s. The Oxford English Dictionary first recorded the phrase “high five” as a noun in 1980 and as a verb in 1981.

While it is generally accepted that the high five originated in American professional sports, there is no universal agreement regarding its exact origins. One popular origin story attributes its creation to Los Angeles Dodgers players Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke. On October 2, 1977, Burke ran onto the field to congratulate Baker on his 30th home run of the season. Burke raised his hand over his head, and, not knowing what else to do, Baker slapped it. The rest is history.

This story was first reported in 1982. However, there is another origin story, first reported in 1980. This story attributes the high five to college basketball players Wiley Brown and Derek Smith of the Louisville Cardinals, an NCAA Division I team representing the University of Louisville. High fives can be seen in the team’s highlight reels from the 1978–79 season.

Former basketball player Magic Johnson claims to have invented the high five with his Michigan State Spartans teammate, Greg Kelser, during their college careers. However, he does not specify when or where the gesture originated, and he admits that he did not name it “high five”.

In any case, the high five is now one of the most universally recognized gestures. Its exact meaning varies depending on the context, but it’s almost always positive, conveying greetings, congratulations, or celebrations.

A group of students at the University of Virginia launched National High Five Day in 2002 by spending the day giving high fives to fellow students in the main quad. Since then, National High Five Day has become a popular April tradition, drawing massive online participation and press coverage.

To capitalize on the holiday’s popularity, the organizers of National High Five Day partnered with CoachArt, a nonprofit that provides free arts, sports, and STEM lessons to children affected by chronic illnesses. National High Five Day provides a great opportunity to raise funds for CoachArt and support its mission.

Celebrate National High Five Day by giving high fives to everyone you meet, training your dog or cat to give high fives, and spreading the word about the holiday using the hashtags #NationalHighFiveDay and #NH5D.