Black History Month

Black History Month is the successor to Negro History Week which was founded on February 12, 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a pre-eminent historian and founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Woodson was concerned that the contributions of Black Americans were overlooked or misrepresented and he began lobbying for Negro History Week as early as 1915. He selected February because it included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14) whom he believed had dramatically impacted the lives of Black Americans.

In 1976, Woodson's legacy, now renamed the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, successfully lobbied to extend Black History Week into a month-long observance.

ASALH - Association for the Study of African American Life and History

Established in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, we are the Founders of Black History Month and carry forth the work of our founder, the Father of Black History. We continue his legacy of speaking a fundamental truth to the world--that Africans and peoples of African descent are makers of history and co-workers in what W. E. B. Du Bois called, "The Kingdom of Culture." ASALH's mission is to create and disseminate knowledge about Black History, to be, in
short, the nexus between the Ivory Tower and the global public. We labor in the service of Black folks and all humanity. The mission of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate
information about Black life, history and culture to the
global community.

Visit ASALH

Each year, a new theme is chosen for Black History Month. The ASALH website contains information on the the theme for Black History Month.