When is Black History Month 2022? (2024)

FAQs

When is Black History Month 2022? ›

BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2022 as National Black History Month.

It is celebrated in February in the United States and Canada, where it has received official recognition from governments, but more recently has also been celebrated in Ireland and the United Kingdom where it is observed in October.

Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage, triumphs and adversities that are an indelible part of our country's history.

Firstly, October is when African chiefs and leaders gather to settle their differences so this month was chosen to reconnect with black peoples' roots on the continent. It was also first held in 1987, as it was the 150th anniversary of Caribbean emancipation.

Woodson chose February for reasons of tradition and reform. It is commonly said that Woodson selected February to encompass the birthdays of two great Americans who played a prominent role in shaping black history, namely Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays are the 12th and the 14th, respectively.

Why is Black History Month in February? Woodson chose February for Negro History Week because it had the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, and Douglass, a former slave who did not know his exact birthday, celebrated his on Feb.

The four colours that are used for Black History Month are black, red, yellow and green. Black represents resilience, red denotes blood, yellow is optimism and justice, and green symbolises rich greenery.

The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States every February ...

Carter G. Woodson was a scholar whose dedication to celebrating the historic contributions of Black people led to the establishment of Black History Month, marked every February since 1976.

The main BHM flag is the Pan-African flag created in 1920 by Marcus Garvey. The flag is known by many names. Marcus Garvey Flag.

Who started Negro History Week? ›

On Feb. 7, 1926, Carter G. Woodson, initiated the first celebration of Negro History Week which led to Black History Month, to extend and deepen the study and scholarship on African American history, all year long.

Black History Month encourages us to learn about the true history of America and strive for a better world.

2024 | African Americans and the Arts

This theme is infused with African, Caribbean, and Black American lived experiences.

Overview (Demographics)

In 2021, 40.1 million people in the United States were non-Hispanic black alone, which represents 12.1 percent of the total population of 331.9 million. Blacks/African Americans are the second largest minority population in the United States, following the Hispanic/Latino population.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.

A continued engagement with history is vital as it helps give context for the present. Black History Month is an opportunity to understand Black histories, going beyond stories of racism and slavery to spotlight Black achievement.

Historians say there's a simple answer: Black History Month ― which began in 1926 as Negro History Week ― is in February because it coincides with the birthdays of two important figures in the abolitionist movement: President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

– In 1950 on this day, singer Natalie Cole was born. – In 1962 on this day, a suit seeking to bar Englewood, N.J., from maintaining “racial segregated” elementary schools was filed in U.S. District Court. – In 1990 on this day, Barack Obama became the first black man named president of the Harvard Law Review.

Addai-Sebo said that they settled on October rather than February for the UK Black History Month so that “children were fresh after the long summer vacation and had less to worry about exams and tests, and the camaraderie was stronger as they shared experiences.

Carter G. Woodson was a scholar whose dedication to celebrating the historic contributions of Black people led to the establishment of Black History Month, marked every February since 1976.