Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. The term African American generally denotes descendants of enslaved black people who are from the United States.

It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Woodson wanted to ensure that black Americans’ historic contributions were learned throughout the school year. He also wanted to improve race relations, and, most important, he wanted to make sure those contributions were not erased from the country's history.

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Since then, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.