Black History Month didn’t begin as a marketing campaign, a school assignment, or a calendar obligation. It started as a fight against erasure. For much of American history, Black contributions were ignored, minimized, or outright excluded from textbooks, museums, and public memory. Black History Month exists because someone decided that absence was unacceptable — and that history deserved to be told in full, not selectively.
Today, Black History Month is observed every February in the United States and Canada, with similar celebrations in the United Kingdom and other countries at different times of the year. While it has grown into a nationwide observance, its roots are much more personal, intentional, and political than many people realize.
The Man Who Started It All: Carter G. Woodson
The origins of Black History Month trace back to Carter G. Woodson, often called “the Father of Black History.” Born in 1875 to formerly enslaved parents, Woodson understood firsthand how Black history was systematically excluded from American education. Despite facing immense barriers, he earned a PhD from Harvard University — only the second Black American to do so at the time.
Woodson didn’t just want recognition for Black achievements; he wanted accuracy. He believed that the absence of Black history harmed both Black and white Americans by creating a distorted view of the nation’s past. In 1915, he co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting Black history.
A year later, Woodson launched the Journal of Negro History, providing scholars a platform to publish research that mainstream academic journals refused to print. But he wanted history to reach beyond universities and into everyday life.
Negro History Week
In 1926, Woodson introduced Negro History Week, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two figures already widely commemorated in Black communities. The goal wasn’t celebration for celebration’s sake — it was education.
Schools, churches, and Black civic organizations used the week to highlight Black leaders, inventors, artists, and activists. Teachers developed lesson plans. Students performed plays. Newspapers ran features. What started as a single week quickly gained traction across the country.
Woodson always intended Negro History Week to be a starting point, not a limit. He hoped Black history would eventually be fully integrated into American education year-round. Ironically, the fact that Black History Month still exists speaks to how incomplete that integration remains.
From a Week to a Month
The push to expand Negro History Week gained momentum during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. As Black Americans fought for voting rights, desegregation, and equal treatment under the law, there was also a growing demand to reclaim history and identity.
In 1976, during the United States Bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.” What had begun as a grassroots educational effort became a national observance.
By then, Negro History Week had already evolved into Black History Month, reflecting a broader, more inclusive understanding of Black identity and culture.
Why February?
February’s connection to Lincoln and Douglass often sparks debate. Some argue that Black history shouldn’t be anchored to white figures or confined to a single month. Those criticisms aren’t new — even Woodson himself acknowledged them.
But the choice of February was strategic. Black communities were already celebrating those birthdays, and Woodson used existing traditions as an entry point for deeper historical education. It was less about limitation and more about visibility.
Global Observance
While February is the recognized month in the U.S. and Canada, Black history is celebrated at different times elsewhere:
- United Kingdom: October
- Ireland: October
- Netherlands: October
Each country tailors the observance to its own Black diaspora, acknowledging histories shaped by colonialism, migration, and cultural exchange.
Criticism and Ongoing Debate
Black History Month has never been without controversy. Some critics argue that confining Black history to one month marginalizes it further. Others say corporations and institutions reduce it to surface-level gestures without meaningful action.
There’s also concern that the same few figures are highlighted repeatedly, while lesser-known contributors remain overlooked. These criticisms aren’t reasons to abandon Black History Month — they’re reasons to deepen it.
Many educators and activists now emphasize “Black history as American history”, using February as a focal point rather than a boundary.
Notable Figures Celebrated During Black History Month
While Black History Month aims to spotlight a wide range of stories, certain figures have become central to the observance due to their lasting impact. These individuals represent different eras, fields, and forms of resistance.
Frederick Douglass
A formerly enslaved man who became one of the most powerful voices of abolition, Frederick Douglass used his life story to expose the brutality of slavery. As a writer, orator, and political thinker, he challenged the nation to live up to its ideals.
Douglass believed education was the key to freedom, a belief that directly influenced Carter G. Woodson decades later.
Harriet Tubman
Often remembered for the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman was far more than a guide to freedom. She was a Civil War spy, a nurse, and a lifelong activist. Tubman led dozens of enslaved people to freedom and never lost a single passenger.
Her courage and strategic brilliance continue to inspire discussions about resistance and leadership.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most recognizable figures of the Civil Rights Movement. His leadership in nonviolent protest helped dismantle legalized segregation and secure voting rights for millions.
While his “I Have a Dream” speech is often quoted, King’s broader legacy includes economic justice, opposition to war, and systemic critique — aspects that are increasingly emphasized during Black History Month.
Malcolm X
Where King emphasized nonviolence, Malcolm X stressed self-defense, Black pride, and global solidarity. His evolution from Nation of Islam spokesperson to international human rights advocate reflects the complexity of Black political thought.
Malcolm X’s influence remains especially strong among younger generations exploring identity and empowerment.
Rosa Parks
Often simplified as a tired woman who refused to give up her seat, Rosa Parks was actually a trained activist whose actions helped ignite the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her quiet resistance became a catalyst for mass movement.
Black History Month increasingly highlights Parks’ long career in activism, not just one moment.
W.E.B. Du Bois
A scholar, writer, and activist, W.E.B. Du Bois challenged both racism and respectability politics. He co-founded the NAACP and argued that Black Americans deserved full political, social, and economic equality.
Du Bois’ writings remain foundational in sociology and critical race theory.
Contemporary Figures
Black History Month has expanded to include modern trailblazers:
- Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. president
- Oprah Winfrey, media pioneer and philanthropist
- Serena Williams, redefining athletic dominance
- Chadwick Boseman, whose cultural impact extended beyond film
These figures remind us that Black history isn’t frozen in the past — it’s unfolding every day.
Why We Need Black History Month
Despite progress, gaps in historical education remain. Many Americans still graduate without learning about Reconstruction, Black inventors, or the role of Black soldiers in major wars. Black History Month acts as a corrective, a moment to pause and fill in what’s missing. It also creates space for celebration of resilience, creativity, and cultural influence that have shaped music, language, fashion, politics, and sports.
Most importantly, Black History Month invites reflection. It asks who gets remembered, who gets overlooked, and why. It challenges the idea that history is neutral or complete.
Carter G. Woodson once said that a people without history become a “negligible factor” in the world. Black History Month exists to ensure that Black stories are not only told but understood as essential to the American story.
As conversations around race, equity, and representation continue, Black History Month remains both a reminder of how far the country has come and a measure of how far it still has to go.
