Stephen F. Austin State University

Black History Month Programming

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black history month or in some places known as African-American history month, is a month to recognize and celebrate the important people and events that have happened in the African history. In the United States and Canada it is celebrated in February, while the United Kingdom celebrates it in October. Throughout history, the black community has made major contributions to the world. Many of these contributions have shaped the world and are used in people's everyday lives.
Black history month was created on the second week in 1926 and started off as "Negro History Week," dubbed by historian Carter G. Woodson. The week was chosen because of the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12th) and Frederick Douglass (February 14th) which were both celebrate by the black community during the late 19th century. Emphasis was placed on encouraging the teaching of the history of American blacks in public schools. It was met with slight acceptance by the Departments of Education in the states of North Carolina, Delaware and West Virginia, as well as the school administrations of Baltimore and Washington D.C.

Afrocentricity:

"Afrocentricity is an approach to the study of world history that focuses on the history of people of recent African descent. This method seeks to transform human reality by ushering in a human openness to cultural pluralism which cannot exist without the minds for expansion of consciousness." -Kemet, Afrocentricity, and Knowledge
Black History Month