Annual observance throughout February in the United States (and October in the UK) celebrating African American achievements, history, and culture while addressing ongoing racial injustice. Originally established as “Negro History Week” in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson, expanded to a full month in 1976.

Origins

Carter G. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History,” founded Negro History Week in February 1926, coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb 14). Woodson believed Black Americans’ contributions were systematically excluded from history textbooks and curricula.

1976: As part of the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Every president since has issued annual proclamations for Black History Month.

Annual Themes

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH, founded by Woodson) selects themes:

• 2024: “African Americans and the Arts”
• 2023: “Black Resistance”
• 2022: “Black Health and Wellness”
• 2021: “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”
• 2020: “African Americans and the Vote”
• 2019: “Black Migrations”
• 2018: “African Americans in Times of War”

Social Media Culture

#BlackHistoryMonth trends throughout February with:

• Daily spotlights: Lesser-known figures (Claudette Colvin, Bayard Rustin, Shirley Chisholm)
• Educational threads: Slavery, Jim Crow, Civil Rights Movement, mass incarceration
• Art & culture: Harlem Renaissance, jazz, hip-hop, Black cinema
• Book recommendations: James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi
• “Today’s Black History” posts: Real-time events (Black inventors, scientists, athletes)
• Corporate campaigns: Brands highlighting Black creators, entrepreneurs (varying authenticity)

Key Figures Commonly Highlighted

Civil Rights Leaders:

• Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer

Abolitionists & Early Activists:

• Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells

Arts & Literature:

• Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison

Science & Innovation:

• George Washington Carver, Katherine Johnson, Mae Jemison, Neil deGrasse Tyson

Sports:

• Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Owens, Serena Williams, LeBron James

Politics:

• Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Shirley Chisholm, Thurgood Marshall, Stacey Abrams

Educational Focus

Schools and institutions organize:

• Assemblies: Guest speakers, performances, historical reenactments
• Reading lists: Age-appropriate Black authors and subjects
• Museum exhibits: Smithsonian NMAAHC virtual tours, local history projects
• Film screenings: Selma, 13th, Hidden Figures, I Am Not Your Negro

Criticism & Debates

“Why only one month?”

• Shouldn’t Black history be integrated year-round?
• Relegating it to February suggests it’s separate from “real” history

Performative allyship:

• Companies change logos to Black fists, then ignore racial equity rest of year
• “Black History Month sales” (criticized as commercializing struggle)

Revisionist history concerns:

• Conservative states banning Critical Race Theory, accurate slavery education
• Texas, Florida legislation limiting discussions of systemic racism

Representation:

• Overemphasis on same figures (MLK, Rosa Parks) while ignoring radical activists (Assata Shakur, Angela Davis)
• LGBTQ+ Black figures often erased (Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson)

Corporate Participation

Authentic efforts:

• Google Doodles: Daily Black historical figures throughout February
• Spotify: Black History Is Now playlists, Black-owned business spotlights
• Ben & Jerry’s: Social justice campaigns, reparations advocacy

Criticized campaigns:

• McDonald’s, Walmart accused of “diversity washing” without internal equity
• Fashion brands using Black models for one month, then reverting

Statistics Highlighting Racial Inequity (U.S., 2023)

• Wealth gap: White families have 8x median wealth of Black families
• Incarceration: Black Americans incarcerated at 5x rate of white Americans
• Homeownership: 44% of Black families own homes vs. 73.7% of white families
• Education: Black students face harsher discipline, less funding
• Health: Black maternal mortality 3x higher than white women

Social Movements

BHM intersects with ongoing activism:

• Black Lives Matter (2013+): Combating police brutality, systemic racism
• Say Her Name (2014+): Centering Black women victims of violence
• Reparations campaigns: H.R. 40 (studying reparations for slavery)

Global Observance

• UK: Black History Month in October (since 1987)
• Canada: February (since 1995)
• Netherlands: October (since 1993)

Related Hashtags

#BHM, #BlackHistoryMonth2024, #BlackHistory365, #BlackExcellence, #AfricanAmericanHistory, #BlackLivesMatter, #BlackOwned, #BlackCulture, #SayTheirNames, #UnapologeticallyBlack

Sources

• Association for the Study of African American Life and History: https://asalh.org
• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture: https://nmaahc.si.edu
• Library of Congress Black History resources: https://www.loc.gov/collections
• Pew Research Center: Race and inequality reports (2023)
• Social media trends: Brandwatch, Sprout Social, 2018-2023