Black History Month

What is Black History Month and when is it celebrated? According to History.com, Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time dedicated to recognizing their central role in U.S. history. It’s celebrated throughout the month of February, specifically, but it’s also celebrated and recognized all year. It began in 1915, half a century after the 13th Amendment had abolished slavery in the U.S. Due to this, many people get together or individually celebrate it.

How to Celebrate

If you are interested in celebrating Black History Month, here are some ways that you can celebrate it. According to cnet.com, you can visit a Black or African American history museum, learn about Black music history by listening online, support Black-owned businesses and restaurants, donate to Black organizations and charities, attend local Black History Month events, and watch Black history documentaries and movies, to name a few ideas. Another way to celebrate would be helping charities and organizations that support Black History Month. There are also many stores and clothing brands that are celebrating Black History Month like Old Navy, Banana Republic, Under Armour, Target, Apple, Bath & Body Works, and more. 

Famous People Who Made Big Changes

Who made big changes that are recognized during Black History Month and throughout the year? One person who made big changes and is always remembered is Martin Luther King Jr. According to britannica.com, he was a social activist who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He also made many changes and fought for equal rights for everyone without using violence, which resulted in successfully ending the legal segregation of African Americans in many parts of the United States. Instead what he did was use his voice to express his thoughts and what changes he wanted to make/see. On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a very famous speech called “I Have a Dream.” According to www.oprahdaily.com, the purpose of his speech was to address the issues of segregation and racism. He once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character” (MLK). This explains that he didn’t want his children to live through racism as previous generations had. 

Another person who made a big change was Rosa Parks. According to www.nps.gov, Rosa Parks was called “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement” because she made a big change in the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. During this time, black people were only able to ride at the back of the bus while white people were allowed to sit in the front or wherever they pleased. That meant that if a white person wanted to sit where a black person was sitting, they had to give up their seat. Since Rosa Parks refused to do this, she was arrested. She was known as the first person to deny her seat to a white person, which was not allowed back then due to racial segregation.