Video Of The Week - February Is Black History Month
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Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. It was established in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a historian who wanted to ensure that significant contributions made by African American men and women throughout history, would never be forgotten.
Woodson picked the second week of February for what he called Negro History Week because it coincides with the birthdays of two US leaders that helped African Americans gain equality - President Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and human rights activist, Frederick Douglass (Feb 14). He encouraged schools and communities across the country to celebrate the week by organizing local events, establishing history clubs and staging performances and lectures. His idea resonated with both African Americans and the progressive white population. By the late 1960's, many college campuses began dedicating the entire month of February to this endeavor and Black History Month was born.
In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford endorsed the celebration, asking the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of African Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Since then, Black History Month has been a fixture on the American calendar. Every year the Association for the Study of African American Life & History assigns a unique theme. For 2016 they selected Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories.
It was picked to highlight the centennial celebration of the National Park Service and the more than twenty-five sites and the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom that are part of America’s hallowed grounds. Among them is the home of Dr. Carter G, Woodson, the mastermind of this celebration. Canada also celebrates the month in February, while the United Kingdom commemorates the event in October.
Resources: history.com
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418 Comments
- kiraover 8 yearsit is so sad !!!
- dogefan12over 8 yearsGo Black History! We get to celebrate MLK and jackie robinson and Prez Obama and Much more!!!!! it is great that they have served us and the U.S.A. For good reasons!!!!! Also thanks to Carter G. Woodson For Black History Month! Go February!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- cocobandicootover 8 yearsI love black history month because it celebrates all the black people and i'm one of them.
- Dr.coolover 8 yearsCOOL!!!:)
- maddieover 8 yearsxcool
- Dylan Watson over 8 yearsblack history month is awesome
- accurry1over 8 yearsawesome
- samanthaover 8 yearsthis artical is awesome i would read it again. i would read it again cause its telling u who made that a month why they made it a month and why its important. it aslo shows who is important so i would totally read again
- accurry1over 8 yearsyour awesome
- bossotron64CNover 8 yearsI thing that it was terrible when people thought that white people were better than black, and that it's not fair to the black.
- SUPERGIRLover 8 yearsITS SO SAD.
- accurry1over 8 yearsreally sad
- johannaover 8 yearsThe Afriacan American were very important for this country
- accurry1over 8 yearsyeah