Annually observed throughout the month of February, Black History Month is a time to recognize the significant contributions that African Americans have made to the history of the United States. The celebration, which is often referred to as African American History Month and “Negro History Week,” was originally conceived by eminent historian Carter G. Woodson, along with a number of other famous African Americans.
Since 1976, the month of February in the United States has been officially recognized as Black History Month by every president of the United States. Along with the United States, other countries like Canada and the United Kingdom also set aside a whole month to honor black history.
The Beginnings of Black History Month
In 1915, the first Black History Month event was held. This was exactly fifty years after the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, which ended slavery in the United States.
In September of that year, Carter G. Woodson, a historian with a degree from Harvard, and Jesse E. Moorland, a prominent minister, established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization is committed to researching and promoting the accomplishments of Black Americans and other people of African descent.
The organization that is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) first sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926. They chose the second week of February for the event because it coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Today, ASALH is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The event prompted educational institutions and communities around the country to organize local celebrations, start history clubs, and offer performances and talks.
In the decades that followed, mayors of communities across the country started issuing annual proclamations celebrating “Negro History Week.” These proclamations are still in use today. By the late 1960s, “Negro History Week” had morphed into “Black History Month” on many college campuses. This change was partially a result of the civil rights movement and a rising awareness of the identity of people of African descent.
In 1976, during President Gerald Ford’s administration, the month of February was designated as “Black History Month,” and Ford issued a proclamation urging the American public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks are just some of the civil rights activists and pioneers that are being honored during this year’s Black History Month. This month is also a chance to honor the contributions and legacies of African Americans in all parts of U.S. history and society, including those who have been important in business, politics, science, culture, and other fields.
A Theme for Black History Month in 2022
Since 1976, every president of the United States has proclaimed the month of February to be Black History Month and has supported a particular theme.
The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” explores “the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well.”
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