We are halfway through Black History Month,
and while we celebrate historic figures
and their impact still affecting us today,
we want to take a look back at how honoring
black culture and Heritage got started.
Through the generations,
the physical power,
it is a reflection of human history.
In the US, Black History Month is
celebrated every year in February.
Black History Month is
the opportunity to think
about the contributions that
African Americans and people of
African descent have contributed
to not only America, but modern
world. The roots of Black History
Month can be traced back to September.
5th 1915 on that date,
historian Doctor Carter G Woodson
founded the Association for the
Study of ***** Life and History.
It is an institution that exists today
that houses and publishes scholarly
work that looks at the research
and the history of black people
today. The organization is called the
Association for the Study of African
American Life and History, or ASALAH.
The mission remains the same.
Is to promote, research, preserve,
interpret and disseminate information
about black life history and
culture to the global community.
Without their stories, you wouldn't even
have the concept of America. Woodson,
who's also known as the father of
black history, worked with a solemn
members to establish ***** History Week.
It's now referred to as Black History Week.
A Sala held the 1st celebration during
the second week of February in 1926.
It was particularly placed in the month
of February because of the birthdays of
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
President Lincoln was born
February 12th, 1809, but since
Douglas was born into slavery,
the date of his birth was not recorded.
It's estimated that the great abolitionist.
Was born February 14th, 1818.
Unfortunately, there are spaces
within our nation that would
like to forget these things.
And as we know, when you don't acknowledge,
recognize and remember a trauma,
you're bound to repeat that trauma.
During Black History week,
black teachers and segregated public
schools taught black students about
the achievements of their ancestors.
Assala provided study materials like
lessons and posters of important.
Rates and people.
The elementary teachings came with plays,
pageants, reciting speeches,
essay contests,
concerts and other events.
It was important for them to establish
some kind of curriculum that would give
identity and agency to black people.
Overtime, Black History
Week gained enormous
popularity across the country.
By the mid 1960s, college students,
along with the black Civic
organizations began pushing
to extend Black History week
into a month long celebration.
The push came with campus protest
demanding black studies departments too.
Black people in the 60s were coming off
the heels of the civil rights movement,
and college students wanted to see
self representation on campuses.
This is how you get the development of
the ethnic studies department in San
Francisco State and the Black Studies
Department all across the nation.
Asala began seeking recognition
from the federal government
to mark February as a time
to recognize black people's.
Contributions to the US
it's a reflection of a
aspect of contributions to
civilizations that is seldom told,
particularly in K12 settings.
And at times, when the story is told,
it's from a skewed and very subjective,
subjective perspective.
President Gerald Ford officially
recognized Black History Month for
the first time in February 1976.
Since then, every U.S.
President has designated.
February as Black History Month
this month is a chance to celebrate
the central role that African
Americans have played in every
aspect of American life. I think it's
important to recognize the challenges
that we have as black people when you
talk about equity, when you talk about
opportunities and education
opportunities across the board.
10 years later, in 1986,
Congress designated February as
National Black History Month,
making it a time of acknowledgement,
reflection and inspiration for
all. America wants to do better for itself,
and at times we just don't know how.
And I think Black History Month is the
opportunity to learn how to do that,
learn how to be better.