Black History Month CelebrationsIntroduction
Concerned that the contributions of African Americans were being overlooked in the nation’s history books, historian and educator Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week in February 1926. His goal was to educate students and others about the role Blacks played in the nation’s development. Woodson selected the month of February for this initiative to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. For many years, the second week of February was set aside to recognize the contributions of African Americans. As part of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, Negro History Week was expanded to Black History Month.1 Since that time, many organizations have sponsored activities during this month as part of their efforts to encourage diversity, inclusion and multicultural understanding among their employees.
This report provides a brief overview of the Black History Month activities and events held at several companies.
