Celebrating Black History Month

Photo courtesy of WIkimedia Commons

The month of February is known as Black History Month, where there is a dedication to honor and celebrate the legacy and accomplishments made by African Americans in the past, and now.

The month of February is also known as Black History Month. This dedication stands as a time of honoring and celebrating the legacy and accomplishments made by African Americans, from decades before to even now, while acknowledging how this community still faces discrimination and prejudice to this day. 

The origins of Black History Month predate over a century, with its founder, Carter G. Woodson. After arriving at the 1912 Republican convention in Illinois to celebrate the advancements African Americans had made since the end of slavery. The history PhD holder wanted to recognize and promote the history and life of African Americans. In doing so, he, along with others, helped to form the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNHL), which would later become the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

Yet despite these advancements, what is now known as Black History Month would not be formed until more than a decade later. The formation of Black History Month first began when Woodson formed the “Negro History Week” in 1926, coinciding with the birthdays of both Frederick Douglas on Feb. 14 and Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12. Woodson feared that if the public did not know what African Americans had faced, then they would be, as he put it, exterminated. This week in history focused on improving race relations in America while highlighting educational movements.

Woodson’s work prospered even after his death during the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Kent State University in Ohio wanted to recognize February as Black History Month in 1969, marking one of the big public efforts toward the cause. Until then, the celebration hadn’t been federally or nationally recognized in the country. During his presidency, however, the thirty-eighth president, Gerald Ford, recognized Black History Month to the nation in 1976. Since then, the US government has celebrated the month annually, with other countries like the United Kingdom and Canada joining in on the honorment.

Even with such a historic celebration, though, there might be cause for alarm for the month. Under President Trump’s executive orders that aim to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion programs comes the pausing of numerous identity months. In a memo, the Defense Intelligence Agency demanded that recognitions such as Black History Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth, and others stop related events and activities. Federal employees also face a removal of requested work time off or space used for celebrating DEI-related events and activities.

Today, historians and communities alike celebrate the month in a variety of ways. Every year, the ASALH uses a theme to focus on a particular aspect of the African American community. This year involves African Americans and labor, whereby they will focus on how Black Americans have helped build the country through community involvement and industry engagement. There is also an emphasis on African American Life museums and heritage sites. Some of the most famous include the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Additionally, there are organizations and events for Black History Month on campus that can be found on the SUNY Geneseo website under the events and news section, such as Douglass Day 2025. Celebrating, recognizing, and learning about Black History Month within the community is important.