Hi, CMBC members! February is Black History Month — a time to honor and celebrate African Americans' achievements and history! Here are some facts about Black History Month:
Black History Month began in 1926 as a week-long celebration, and it was started by Carter G. Woodson.
Known as “the father of Black history,” Woodson was an African American historian and founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).
Woodson picked the second week of February to celebrate Black history because it overlapped with the dates of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) and Frederick Douglass’s birthday (believed to be in February 1818 and nationally celebrated on February 14).
In 1976, the week-long observance became a month-long celebration when President Gerald Ford nationally recognized February as Black History Month.
You can learn more about Black History Month and ways you can celebrate using these free activity pages. Click the image below to download your free copy!
