Today is the first day of #BlackHistoryMonth. How did this important month of recognition come to be?
How did it start?
In 1915, historian Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926, the group declared the second week of February as “Negro History Week” to recognize the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history.
Why February?
This week was chosen because it includes the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Many schools and leaders began recognizing the week after its creation.
Too important for just a week
The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
