Dear Colleagues,
This year marks a significant milestone for Black History Month, and we encourage every department and student organization to engage with the national theme selected by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH): “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” This theme honors the 100th anniversary of Carter G. Woodson’s launch of the first Black History Week and invites us to reflect on the legacy of these commemorations and the continuing preservation of Black life, history, and culture.
Black History Month has a rich and intentional history. In 1926, Woodson and ASALH established Negro History Week during the second week of February to align with the long-standing Black community celebrations of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 1 and the commemoration of Frederick Douglass’s birth on February 14. Rather than inventing a new date, Woodson built upon existing traditions to elevate Black achievements and strengthen historical education through focused public programming.
Over time—particularly during the civil rights era of the late 1960s and early 1970s—many communities and campuses expanded the observance from a single week into a full month. In 1976, the United States officially recognized February as Black History Month. Since the 1980s, other countries, including Canada and several European nations, have developed their own observances, adapting the celebration to local histories and cultural contexts
The History Department will once again organize a campus-wide calendar of Black History Month programming. Departments and organizations planning February events are asked to submit their activities using the form linked below. We strongly encourage student involvement in these initiatives.
Please note: submissions are due by January 14th.
Any comments, questions, or concerns, please contact Dr. Manna Duah at [email protected]
Thank you for your continued support in honoring and advancing the study of Black history.
Sincerely,
Department of History
