A Short History of Black History Month

Black History Month is celebrated in the United States in the month of February.  All across the country events are held to honor the achievements of African Americans of the past and present.  There are festivals and expositions designed to showcase the traditions and culture of the African American community.  But many are unaware of the origins and history of Black History Month. Until the early 1900’s the history of African Americans was largely ignored.

The origins of Black History Month can be traced back to Carter G Woodson.  Woodson was the son of former slaves who earned a PhD from Harvard University.  This was quite an accomplishment for an African American at the time.  It was during his college studies that Woodson became troubled by the lack of reference to African Americans in the history books.

Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915.  In 1916 he founded the Journal of Negro History.  In 1926 he started National Negro Week in an effort to focus attention on the historical contributions of the African Americans.  Woodson chose the second week in February in honor of the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.  February was also the month that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded in 1909.

In the early 1940’s the teaching and celebrating of black history began to expand.  The blacks in West Virginia began celebrating Negro History Month. The 1960’s resulted in a dramatic increase in interest in African American culture and history. Young black students on college campuses became increasingly aware of African American issues.  Black History Week was on the road to becoming Black History Month. In 1976, after 50 years the Black History Week celebration became Black History Month.

Looking back from the beginning, we can see the abundance of Black History Month festivals and celebrations that grew from those early efforts to raise cultural awareness. The Black History Month brings tremendous focus on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. Do not forget the efforts and sacrifices made by those early pioneers in the effort to raise cultural awareness.