Celebrating Black History Month
It’s February, and in the United States, that means it’s Black History Month. It’s a time where we spend time reflecting on everything the black community has done for not only the U.S. but the world at large.
History of Black History Month
Every U.S. President since 1976 has recognized February as Black History Month. The roots of this movement are from 1915 when the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) was created. In 1926, the group sponsored a National Negro History Week in the second week of February. That timeframe was chosen due to the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Every year following, the movement garnered more attention and recognition, until the 1960s when it became what we now celebrate as Black History Month.
How Do You Celebrate Black History Month?
Now that you know a bit about the history, here are a few ways you can support and celebrate this event.
Learn about prominent Black leaders – when you first read that, you probably thought of names like Barack Obama, Rosa Parks, or Martin Luther King, Jr. However, there are so many more names that should be added to that list, including authors, politicians, inventors, actors, and business owners.
Support black-owned businesses – this is one that most people are willing to get behind but have trouble with. How do you know if you’re supporting a black-owned business? One option is to search for the hashtag #blackowned and see what types of businesses pop up. You can also ask around on social media. Your friends, family, and neighbors may also be able to point you in the right direction.
Watch documentaries – these days you can find some great documentaries to learn more about the black community and history, like on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more.
Read books about black history or from black authors – books are a great way to celebrate Black History Month. If you buy a nonfiction book on the topic, you can learn a lot. If you choose to buy any book from a black author – whether fiction or not – you’re also supporting BHM.
Visit museums – see if any of your local museums have information on Black History Month. If not – or even if they do and you go visit them – you can also check out virtual museums. Thanks to COVID, more and more museums are expanding their offerings to include services like these.
Listen to music from black artists – there are a lot of black musicians out there in all genres of music. You can either choose to listen to them from a streaming service or purchase their music.
Conclusion
Black History Month is a great time of year for us to learn new things and do something different. Maybe you hardly ever watch documentaries, but this month is a good time to watch a few to learn something new and take a break from your favorite sitcom. Or maybe you’ll find a new personal hero as you learn about prominent black leaders from history. No matter how you choose to celebrate and support BHM, you’ll be glad you did.
