February is Black History Month!

The celebration of Black History Month originally started either in 1915 or 1926, depending on what source you look at, under a different name by Carter G. Woodson. who was a noted African American history, scholar, educator and publisher. By 1976, Black History Month had become a month long celebration, as well as officially recognized by present Gerald Ford, and the month of February was deliberately chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederik Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Today the group that Carter G. Woodson helped establishing is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Communities nationwide organized local celebration, established history clubs, as well as hosted performances and lectures.

Today, Black History Month is celebrated to honor to contributions and legacy of the African Americans across the U.S society and history - famous examples being Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Rose Parks as some of the main civil rights pioneers.

The 2022 Black History Month theme is "Black Health and Wellness." This theme explores the legacy of Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also birthworkers, doulas, mdwives, naturopaths, herbalists and the like throughout the African Diaspora. Past themes have included the family, Black migrations, and Black women in American culture and history, among others.

Here's some tips to how you can celebrate Black History Month: