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Black History Month

Each February we celebrate Black History Month, a time for recognizing and honoring the role of African Americans in U.S. history. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State University in February 1970.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Since then, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.