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Black History Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of February and was created to honor the contributions and sacrifices made by African Americans who have helped shape our history, society, and nation.
Did you know:
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In 1926, Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-educated historian who was a pioneer in the field of African American studies, founded Negro History Week, which eventually expanded into Black History Month. He is considered the “father of Black history.”
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Black educators and students at Kent State University proposed the first Black History Month in 1969. The first celebration took place a year later at the university, but it was not officially recognized until President Gerald Ford did so in 1976 during the nation’s bicentennial celebration.
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February was chosen because it is the birthday month of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two men who made a big impact for African Americans. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery. Frederick Douglass was born a slave, then became a famous abolitionist, writer, and orator, sharing his stories of enslavement with the world.
This is a great time to celebrate African American icons like George Washington Carver, Shirley Chisholm, Thurgood Marshall, and Ida B. Wells. National Geographic pays tribute to them and many others on its African American Heroes web page.
Want to learn more about Black History Month and how to celebrate it? Check out the articles below:
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