Why is the Month of February considered the official month for Black History?

February marks the beginning of Black History Month - an annual celebration that has existed since 1926. But what are the origins of Black History Month?

Much of the credit can go to Harvard Scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who was determined to bring Black History into the mainstream public arena. Woodson devoted his life to making "the world see the Negro as a participant rather than as a lay figure in history." 

In 1926 Woodson organized the first annual Negro History Week, which took place during the second week of February. Woodson chose this date to co-incide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln - two men who had greatly impacted the black population.

Over time, Negro History Week evolved into the Black History Month that we know today - a four-week-long celebration of African American History.

Links to other information:

Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.

http://mlkmemorial.org/

USDA 1890 National Scholars Program

http://1890scholars.program.usda.gov/

 1890’s Historical Black Colleges

http://www.blackcollegeexpo.com/historical_2.htm

 National Organization Professional Black NRCS Employees

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/organ/

 Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violence

http://www.thekingcenter.com/

 Blacks in Government

http://www.bignet.org/

 Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences

http://www.manrrs.org/

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