Journalist and historian Carter G. Woodson initiated “Negro History Week” in 1926 to focus on Black culture and history education that was lacking in schoools. Black History Month is now celebrated every February to highlight the Black Americans who have contributed to American history in a number of ways.
We’ve come up with a unique list of ways you can respectfully celebrate Black History Month to pay homage to those who came before us. Keep reading to see how you can honor Black History Month in February and beyond.
How to celebrate Black History Month the right way
Black History Month activities for the whole family
If you’re looking for Black History Month activities for the whole family to enjoy together, family game night is always a great idea.
Depending on your children’s ages, there are a number of games that highlight Black history on the market, or a quick search on Teachers Pay Teachers, Etsy, or YouTube offer a variety of options for all ages. Remember though, don’t just host a Black history game night in February — incorporate these games into your family nights throughout the year.
Add books by Black authors to your bookshelves
Reading aloud to your children and filling your home library with a variety of diverse books sets your children up for success. In fact, research indicates that the more books in a family’s home library, the higher proficiency in literacy, numeracy, and information technology. Include a variety of books by Black authors in your home library.
Black History Month activities for toddlers
Celebrate February with coloring pages featuring African American heroes. For kids, coloring pages are fun, and they have brain-developing benefits past their entertainment value. Don’t make them use specific colors or focus on the aesthetics.
Let them freely express themselves, but take time to explain to them the significance of the Black leader on the page. Highlight the contributions they’ve made in history while you color together, using the visual aid to reinforce the lessons of Black History Month.
Black History activities for middle schoolers
Puzzles, word search activities, and logic games can deepen your child’s comprehension, help with vocabulary, and strengthen critical-thinking skills. What better way for middle grade students to learn Black history than through puzzles, games, and word searches?
“Instead of learning about Black history through a school assignment they have to do, it becomes a self-directed project which has such a greater impact on understanding,” Brandi Riley, Black History Spark founder, told Mom.com.
“Reading the stories of creativity, innovation, and excellence demonstrated by the folks who came before us and contributed so much to building our country is inspiring,” the mom of two explained. “And not just for Black kids. For everyone.”
Plan a Black History poetry tea time event
For those not in the homeschooling sphere, poetry tea time allows families a break from the demands of everyday homeschool life. It’s a time to put aside the textbooks and quizzes, leave the laundry for later, and enjoy poetry and snacks.
Julie Bogart, founder of the Brave Writer lifestyle program used widely in the homeschool community, coined the term for this weekly (or whenever you have the time and energy for it) ritual that pairs favorite snacks with poetry. Everyone takes turns reading a poem while enjoying time together.
You don’t have to be a homeschooling family to incorporate this activity into your routine, and Black History Month is a great time to start. There are countless resources from Black poets and orators to pull from, like these:
- The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
- I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Harlem by Langston Hughes
Take a Black history–themed family field trip
The new International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, was an eagerly awaited resource in a community where nearly 40% of Africans forced into North America arrived during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But if you can’t make it to Charleston, there are a number of museums throughout the country that highlight Black history and the Black experience — both good and bad. Black History Month is the perfect time to visit one in your area or take a family road trip. Here are a few of the museums suggested by the travel website Soul of America:
- National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Charles Wright Museum of African American History
- Du Sable Museum of African American History
- Muhammad Ali Center
- National Civil Rights Museum
- National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- Reginald Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
- Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
