Black History Month is a yearly commemoration of fulfilling accomplishments by African Americans and a time to acknowledge their roles in U.S. history. February is when two figures who had a massive impact on black culture’s history were born. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The enslaved American who escaped to freedom and became one of the most important abolitionists of his day, famous for his passionate oratory, Frederick Douglass, was born on February 14.

Black History Month began after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. On September 1915, a historian named Carter G. Woodson and the well-known minister Jesse E. Moorland founded an association called the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). It’s an organization devoted to promoting and researching accomplishments by Black Americans and other people of African descent.  

The group started by sponsoring a national “Negro History Week” in 1926. They chose the second week of February to co-occur with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The event inspired communities and schools nationwide to organize local celebrations, hold performances with hosts to discuss Black history, and create history clubs.

Since 1976, American presidents have designated February as Black History Month and classified it into a specific theme. This year’s Black History Month theme is “Black Resistance,” which explores how African Americans have resisted historical and ongoing oppression in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, police murders, and racial programs since the nation’s earliest days. For a great learning experience, visit the Idaho Black History Museum or Idaho BCA Black History Month STEM Workshop. Celebrate Black History through experiential conversations with Black STEM professionals. Hands-on activities provided by Meridian Library District Unbound Staff. From February 11, from 9 AM to 4 PM, a nonprofit organization held a Black History Gospel Workshop & Concert. It’s an excellent opportunity to understand African American stories, raise Black voices, and make a spotlight on those who have made a difference in our culture and history.