Black History Month 2022: History And How You Can Celebrate

Black History Month is an annual celebration that started in 1926 and occurs every February in the United States, Canada, and Germany to recognise and honour the contributions and achievements made by the Black population; countries such as the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom celebrate Black History Month in October. This tradition was “conceived by historian Carter G Woodson who proposed marking a time to honour African Americans and raise awareness of Black history”. To fully understand the importance of Black History Month, as well as how you could be contributing to its celebration, read on for a bit of history behind this and find an easy guide on what you could be doing.

History

The US chose the month of February as it coincides with the birthdays of the US president Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and Frederick Douglas, an African American orator, social reformer, writer, and abolitionist. Before it came to this however, back in 1875, Carter G. Woodson was born, who became a teacher and the second African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. He founded the ‘Association for the Study of African American Life and History’ in 1915 and was eventually known as the “father of Black history”.

In 1926, Carter G. Woodson created “Negro History Week” to encourage and expand the teaching of Black history in schools, and that is when he selected February to become the celebratory month; particularly, since the 1^st of February is also National Freedom Day, which is a celebration of the approval of the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery in the US.

By the 1940s, the week-long celebration expanded to a month, and by 1960s, demands for proper Black history education spread across the country. President Gerald Ford officially recognised Black History Month in 1976.

How to contribute

This includes a list of all the things you may already be doing in your daily life, such as reading, listening to music, and watching series. However, to recognise and celebrate the Black population specifically, you give appreciation for all the notable works achieved, learn and educate yourself in this field, support Black-owned businesses, and donate to Black organisations and charities.

Here are some examples to get you started:

• Visit a history museum or a heritage site, such as historic parks, monuments in the Black history and other significant locations. You can also find virtual tours and online exhibitions if that is more suitable for you.
• Listen to Black music online, stream, and find new podcasts.
• Support Black entrepreneurs, businesses, restaurants, and more!
• Support non-profit organisations advancing Black right, supporting Black youths, and equal justice. This includes Black Lives Matter, NAACP, Black Girls Code, The Black Youth Project, and more.