The History of Black History Month

This February 1st marked the 48th anniversary of the first celebration of Black History Month. The celebration was chosen to be during the month of February because of American abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, who was a former slave and didn’t know his exact birthday. Historians knew it was sometime during February. Therefore, Carter Woodson chose the entire month to be the period of celebration for people of color. The month is also used to honor the often neglected accomplishments of Black people in world history. These achievements may be ignored due to any number of unfair reasons but the idea of Black History Month is to help raise awareness regarding prejudiced thoughts and actions. The celebration originated in America but has been spread throughout the world to many other countries also looking to improve their inclusivity and equality. 

Every year, Black History Month is focused on a specific theme. For example, in 2023 the theme was “Black Resistance” and this year it was “African Americans and the Arts.” To emphasize these themes and the month as a whole, movements such as parties or parades are held to honor the historic Black people and their impact on our world today. Sometimes there are even large protests that are hosted specifically during February to add to the cause.

In addition to the themes and parties that occur during Black History Month, February also has its own colors to represent Black history: black, red, green, and yellow. To show spirit and support towards African Americans, you can wear the colors or wave flags and during February especially, these colors mean a lot to many people. The black denotes resilience, the red represents blood, and the green and yellow are for optimism and justice. Everyone, of course, should be celebrated every day but if you have missed it in the past, make sure to look out for next February’s Black History Month theme and what we can honor and learn from it.