BLACK HISTORY MONTH BASICS

Black History Month has been around for more than a century, started by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African-American historians back in 1915. They were at a conference to mark the 50th anniversary of Emancipation, and they wanted to continue the joy of celebrating Black excellence.
They started a group that still exists, known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and began promoting the second week in February as a time to look back at the experience and accomplishments of Black Americans.
It quickly caught on, with schools and communities across the country organizing celebrations. The second week of February was a very deliberate choice: the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass fall in that time.
The week in February was a fixture for generations, but in the late 1960’s, in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, the first full-month observance was held in 1970 at Kent State University.
And not just in the U.S. There are now celebrations in Canada, Britain, and other European countries to name a few. (Some European countries observe it in October, but the goal is the same.)
Since 1976, every U.S. President has proclaimed February as Black History Month, and designated a specific theme for the observance, such as Black Health and Wellness, Achievement, and Family. This year’s theme, “Black labor,” is intended to look the invaluable contributions of African Americans, free and unfree, to the workforce.
It’s also become a very commercial celebration, with businesses putting up Black History Month colors and posting historical vignettes and tributes. And, in recent years, observances have tried to widen the focus, so that we don’t see profiles of the same four or five people, but of a much broader range of Black experience and achievement.
About those colors: Black History Month postings are often in black, red, green, and yellow for good reason: the colors are seen in many African flags, and represent unity and pride. Specifically: black is for the resilient people. Red is for the blood of innocent Black lives. Yellow is optimism, justice and equality. Green symbolizes the rich resources of Africa.
Of course, we should be reading about the rich history of African-Americans year round. You don’t need a special month to learn more about amazing people like Ida B. Wells, Marion Anderson, and Barbara Jordan, to name just a few.
If you happen to be looking for a place to start, though, you can’t do better than one of my personal favorites: MY LIFE, MY LOVE, MY LEGACY, by Coretta Scott King. It’s the amazing journey know, from a perspective you probably don’t. Not to mention a truly life-changing book.
And I can’t resist throwing in a word for one of my all-time favorite mystery series, Grace F. Edwards’ Mali Anderson series from the late 1990s. Set in Harlem, they’re immersive and engaging – and deserve a lot more attention!

Got a #ThrowbackThursday idea? Drop it in the comments!