Black History Month is an annual celebration that honors Black people and their experiences. The celebration began with Carter G. Woodson founding ASALH in 1915 to research, preserve, and disseminate knowledge about Black life. He started Negro History Week in 1926, which eventually evolved into Black History Month. Woodson chose February for this celebration due to Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays.
Black History Month really gained momentum during the 1960s Black Power movement, when students at universities like Howard, Tuskegee, and Kent State pushed for a more inclusive curriculum that included African American and global Black history. Woodson’s efforts to ensure the full story of African American history was told to counter myths of Black history being tied to white people.
Woodson also developed curriculum materials in the 1930s and ASALH would send kits to teachers to celebrate Black history. One notable student, Claudette Colvin, was inspired by her history classes to resist segregation on a bus, which led to her arrest at just 15 years old.
Woodson emphasized not just celebrating Negro History Week, but the presence of Black people in history as a whole. He viewed the celebration as an opportunity for people to share what they’ve learned throughout the year. In his writings, he advocated for a history that is inclusive and void of bias, hate, and prejudice. Today, Black History Month continues to be a time to recognize and honor the contributions and struggles of Black people in history.
