Black History Month: its origins and facts

Every February, the United States celebrates Black History Month. Its main goal is to vindicate the history of the African-American community, which is the second largest minority in the country after Latinos.

Black History Month recalls the hardships that millions of African-Americans have endured over the centuries, such as slavery and poverty, as well as the triumphs over those obstacles. It also celebrates the cultural and political influences that have marked the history of the United States through different referents and leaders of the Afro-descendant community and the fundamental role they have played in the development of the country.

Photo Credit: Unseen Histories

The celebration also seeks to honor the struggle of Black people in the country to end the abuse, discrimination and racial segregation they have suffered since they were forcibly brought over as slaves in 1619.

In addition to the United States, the date has received official recognition in Canada, where it is also celebrated in February, and in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, where it is celebrated in October.

The Origin of Black History Month

To understand the origin of Black History Month, we must travel to the year 1915, placing ourselves half a century after the abolition of slavery in the United States, declared in the 13th Amendment.

The idea of instituting this date came from historian Carter G. Woodson, who, in 1915, traveled from his home in Washington D.C. to Chicago to participate in the 50th anniversary of the emancipation of the African-American community. This event inspired him to create the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) along with minister Jesse E. Moorland.

Woodson considered it very important that the general population and the Black community knew their roots and felt proud of their culture and achievements. For this reason, he encouraged the commemoration of Black History Month.

The influence on history and culture

Year after year, the celebration became more relevant and therefore, in 1976, President Gerald Ford decided to officially institute Black History Month to take the opportunity to honor the contributions of the Black community in the United States in all areas.

The list of Black contributions is vast, ranging from pioneers who dedicated their lives to advancing their community to full rights, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, to today’s leaders in fields as diverse as sports, art, culture, politics and science.

Photo Credit: Clay Banks, Unsplash

In recent years, the date has gained special relevance due to the rise of social movements such as Black Lives Matter that seek to end racism and social injustice that prevail in the United States police and criminal justice system. Since Black History Month was established, each year a specific theme is chosen to represent it- this year, the theme will be Black Resistance.