The contributions and achievements of Black Americans are innumerable. So why do we squeeze Black History Month into one month, especially February, the shortest month of the year?
While you are planning your celebration, whether it's brushing up on Black History month facts, adding some relevant movies to your queue, or attending a local or virtual event, take a moment to learn about Dr. Carter G. Woodson, "The Father of Black History," who in the early 20th century began a movement to write Black Americans back into the history books.
Once you know the story, you'll understand that celebrating Black history in February has never been about confining it to a month, but rather sparking the scholarship and knowledge to help it become more widespread and appreciated 365 days a year.
Born the son of former slaves in 1875, Woodson became the second Black person to earn a doctorate from Harvard. In his studies, he noticed that textbooks often misrepresented or entirely left out Black Americans’ contributions. It prompted him to found what is known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) in 1915. The organization researched and promoted achievements by Black Americans, including looking at the African diaspora related to Black history in America.
Through ASALH, Woodson created educational materials like journals, textbooks, speeches, pamphlets, and more for every grade level from college to kindergarten. Ten years later in 1926, these resources helped Woodson start “Negro History Week.” According to Stanford historian Michael Hines, “Negro History Week was a direct challenge to traditional curricula of the time period, which often degraded and dehumanized Black people.”
So, why is Black History Month in February?
The choice harkens back to Woodson's decision to promote the first Negro History Week during the second week of February in 1926, coinciding with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. As these celebrations were already established in Black communities, historian Daryl Michael Scott explained in an essay for ASALH, “(Woodson) was asking the public to extend their study of black history, not to create a new tradition. In doing so, he increased his chances for success.”
How did the weeklong celebration become a month?
Over the decades, Black history celebrations grew and outstripped the bounds of a single week. Black teachers, mainly women, were instrumental in shaping the celebration through their work in the classroom. Communities like churches, sororities, fraternities, and civic organizations advanced the movement by holding local celebrations, establishing history clubs, and hosting lectures.
The growing pride and connection to cultural identity the Black community experienced during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement pushed the need for more opportunities to champion Black history nationwide. Students and educators at Kent State University were the first groups to expand the celebration through the month in 1970. In 1976, ASALH followed suit.
Which president recognized Black History Month?
In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially declared February as Black History Month—two hundred years after the country was born and 26 years after Woodson’s death. At the United States Bicentennial, President Ford called on the country to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Congress officially recognized Black History Month in 1986, and every president since Ronald Reagan has issued a Black History Month proclamation.
Here's what President Barack Obama had to say about it in 2016:
“But Black History Month shouldn’t be treated as though it is somehow separate from our collective American history or somehow just boiled down to a compilation of greatest hits from the March on Washington, or from some of our sports heroes. It’s about the lived, shared experience of all African Americans, high and low, famous and obscure, and how those experiences have shaped and challenged and ultimately strengthened America. It’s about taking an unvarnished look at the past so we can create a better future. It’s a reminder of where we as a country have been so that we know where we need to go.”
Learn more about Black History Month 2024 at asalh.org, including this year's theme, "African Americans and the Arts," and the lineup of virtual events.
Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques.
