February Celebrates Black History Month

 

Black History Month is an annual celebration of the contributions and achievements of African Americans and a time to recognize their central role in our history.

Since 1976, every U.S. President has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also hold month-long black history month celebrations.

Here are a few facts to know about Black History Month:

* Black History Month began as Negro History Week in 1926 and expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976.

* Student Activism on the campus of Kent State University by members of the Black United Students (BUS) in the late 1960s led to the establishment of Black History Month. 

* Black History Month is celebrated in February to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring freedom for enslaved Americans, and Frederick Douglass, a former American slave who became a renowned abolitionist, speaker, and writer.

* Black History Month Themes change yearly. The 2023 theme is Black Resistance calling to mind resistance of acts of oppression, injustice, discrimination, and racism and pursuit of equity for African Americans through the years. 

* During the Civil Rights Movement, Black leaders and activists brought national attention to Black struggles. Black History Month recognizes those who have contributed to impactful growth and inspired change across our nation.

Black History Month is a time for us to reflect on the past and continue to work toward a better, more equitable future!