What is the Black History Month: Origin and theme for 2024

The Black History Month stands as a celebration and acknowledgment of achievements by the African Americans. The annual celebration is meant to acknowledge and appreciate the importance of African Americans in the history of the United States. The month is also known as the African American History Month. Since the year 1976, every president of the United States has designated the month of February officially as Black History Month. Not only the United States, but countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada also designate the month of February as one to acknowledge Black history.

How did the concept of the Black History Month originate?

It all started in the year 1915 when the concept of Black History Month originated. This time was actually a time frame 50 years ahead of the abolishment of slavery in the United States after the thirteenth amendment.

Carter G. Woodson, a historian of Harvard founded the ASNLH (i.e. the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History). This was an organization meant to research and promote the achievements made by the Black Americans and all the others of African descent.

At present, the organization is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). In the year 1926, the group sponsored a national Negro History Week. The second week of February is chosen as the Negro History Week, as the dates coincide with the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. This celebration was enough to inspire communities and schools all across the country to organize local celebrations and host lectures and performances.

In the late 1960s, the awareness surrounding the Black identity grew. The result was that the "Negro History Week" evolved into the Black History Month.

It was in the year 1976 when President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month. He called the public to grab the opportunity to honor the accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor.

Black History Month: Theme for 2024

Every president has designated February as Black History Month and allotted a specific theme every year since the year 1976.

The theme for Black History Month 2024 is "African Americans and the Arts". The theme aims to explore the influence of African Americans in the area of visual and performing arts, along with fashion, language, music, film, literature, folklore, culinary, architecture, and other means of cultural expression.