
We’ve all heard about Black History Month, but there’s still a lot to learn about this celebration. How many of these facts did you know?
#1 Black History Month was started as Negro History Week in 1926 to help stop lynchings through education, not only to celebrate Black achievements. Carter G. Woodson, its founder, believed anti-Blackness started in the classroom.
#2 Black History celebrations were not meant to be permanent. Woodson envisioned that Black history would eventually become a standard part of American history that no longer needed special recognition. He dreamed of a day when Black contributions to the world would be etched into the nation’s memory.
#3 The teaching of Black history also expanded into colleges and universities. Woodson wanted “Negro History” to become a field of study to raise Black consciousness and to mend race relations.
Black history goes far beyond facts, figures, and celebrations. It is a movement that we must keep alive in honor of our past and preparation for our future. Black liberation depends on it.