Happy Black History Month TBG Fam! Here at The Better Generation, we stand with our brothers and sisters fight for equality. Many people celebrate Black History Month across the world but few know where it truly came from.
Black History Month has been around for 53 years. It started in 1915 by a Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland. They founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. From there, BHM spread across the nation.
Mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing "Negro History Week." By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, "Negro History Week" had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses.
President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society. This years Black History theme is "Black Resistance", which explores how "African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings," since the nation's earliest days.
Every week, we will highlight black role models that have exemplified black resistance. We would also like to highlight a black-owned business that should get some support and be highlighted on our story. Tag brands down below that you think should be highlighted for BHM!