Negro History Week (1926)
The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian
Carter G. Woodson and the
Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be "Negro History Week".
[10] This week was chosen because it coincided with the
birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and of
Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which dates black communities had celebrated together since the late 19th century.
[10]
From the event's initial phase, primary emphasis was placed on encouraging the coordinated teaching of the history of American blacks in the nation's
public schools. The first Negro History Week was met with a lukewarm response, gaining the cooperation of the Departments of Education of the states of
North Carolina,
Delaware, and
West Virginia as well as the city school administrations of
Baltimore and
Washington, D.C..
[11] Despite this far from universal acceptance, the event was regarded by Woodson as "one of the most fortunate steps ever taken by the Association", and plans for a repeat of the event on an annual basis continued apace.
[11]
At the time of Negro History Week's launch, Woodson contended that the teaching of black history was essential to ensure the physical and intellectual survival of the race within broader society:
If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.
[12]
By 1929,
The Journal of Negro History was able to note that with only two exceptions, officials with the State Departments of Educations of "every state with considerable Negro population" had made the event known to that state's teachers and distributed official literature associated with the event".
[13] Churches also played a significant role in the distribution of literature in association with Negro History Week during this initial interval, with the mainstream and black press aiding in the publicity effort.
[14]
Negro History Week was met with enthusiastic response; it prompted the creation of black history clubs, an increase in interest among teachers, and interest from progressive whites. Negro History Week grew in popularity throughout the following decades, with mayors across the United States endorsing it as a holiday.
[10]
On February 21, 2016, 106-year Washington D.C. resident and school volunteer
Virginia McLaurinvisited the
White House as part of Black History Month. When asked by the president why she was there, McLaurin said, "A black president. A black wife. And I’m here to celebrate black history. That's what I'm here for."
[15]
United States: Black History Month (1970)
The Black United Students first Black culture center (Kuumba House) where many events of the first Black History Month celebration took place.
Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the
Black United Students at
Kent State University in February 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State one year later, from January 2, 1970 – February 28, 1970.
[6]
Six years later, Black History Month was being celebrated all across the country in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and community centers, both great and small, when President
Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the
United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history".
[16]
United Kingdom (1987)
Black History Month was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1987. It was organised through the leadership of
Ghanaian analyst
Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, who had served as a coordinator of special projects for the
Greater London Council (GLC) and created a collaboration to get it underway.
[17] It was first celebrated in London.
[18]
Canada (1995)
In 1995, after a motion by politician
Jean Augustine, representing the riding of
Etobicoke—Lakeshore in Ontario, Canada's
House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month and honored
Black Canadians. In 2008, Senator
Donald Oliver moved to have the
Senate officially recognize Black History Month, which was unanimously approved.
[7]
Republic of Ireland (2014)
In 2014 the Republic of Ireland became only the fourth country in the world to officially celebrate Black History Month. Ireland's Great Hunger Institute notes: “Black History Month Ireland was initiated in Cork in 2010. This location seems particularly appropriate as, in the nineteenth century, the city was a leading center of abolition, and the male and female anti-slavery societies welcomed a number of black abolitionists to lecture there, including Charles Lenox Remond and Frederick Douglass."
[19]
