Research Guides: African American History and Culture: Black History Month

The Story Behind Black History Month

February has been celebrated as Black History Month in the United States since 1926. Its purpose was conceived as a way to celebrate the achievements made by African Americans - it was first known as "Negro History Week."

Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) and a handful of other notable African Americans are credited for the existence of Black History Month.

On September 9, 1915, Woodson played a prominent role in helping to create the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The following year, the ASNLH began the Journal of Negro History as a way to encourage the study of black history. Textbooks during this time ignored the history and achievements of black people; therefore, in addition to the publication, Woodson advocated for the idea of "Negro History Week."

Woodson chose the second week in February because he believed that the two most influential individuals in African American history were Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass - both of their birthdays fall in February. In 1976, Negro History Week became known as Black History Month and expanded into the entire month of February.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth: Introduction to Juneteenth
Research guide developed by Prairie View A&M University on the history and significance of Juneteenth to African Americans.

Websites

Library of Congress
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
Black History Month and ARTstor
Special resources focusing on Black History from ARTstor
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ARTstor handout on African American Studies: http://www.artstor.org/sites/default/files/filepicker/63/artstor_r_sg_african-american.pdf
NAACP Online Exhibition
"The NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom online exhibition presents a collection of images on the major personalities, events, and achievements that shaped the NAACP’s history during its first 100 years."
Black History Month Biography Channel
See video clips of people, tour the Apollo Theater, and see an interactive timeline.
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
This association founded Black History Month driven by Carter Woodson. Still active today, it publishes the Journal of African American History and The Black History Bulletin.
The Civil Rights Act and Equal Employment Commission
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
Brown vs Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483, was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. --Wikipedia
National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places
"The National Register of Historic Places lists many properties significant for African American History. We take the opportunity of African American History Month to highlight just some of the properties that exemplify the contributions of African American culture and achievement."