Beginning today, Black History Month is being celebrated across the U.S. and Canada.
Commemorating Black history originated with a week-long event overlapping Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglas’ February birthdays. In 1970, the first month-long Black History Month took place at Kent State University, organized by a group of its students. Six years later, then-President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, which has been increasingly observed since that time.
Local events and resources
To learn more, we invite you to visit the U.S. National Archives’ dedicated Black History Month website offering a broad range of materials and virtual tours. Additionally, most communities offer local events; please refer to the list below for a few planned where some of our employees live and work:
Chicago:
- Thursday, Feb. 3 – “Chicago Classics: Black History Month” (book discussion with four authors; details here)
- Saturday, Feb. 26 – “Chicago Children’s Choir Black History Month Virtual Concert: Remembering, Reclaiming, Reconnecting” (see more details here)
Denver:
- Saturday, Feb. 12 – “Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Presents Celebrating Diversity: A Symphonic Journey” (see more details here)
- Saturday, Feb. 19 – “Demystifying the Black Panther Party and Black Lives Matter Organizations” (see more details here)
Farmington:
- Thursday, Feb. 24 – “Straight Talk: The African Ancestry Experience” with Dr. Gina Paige, CEO & President of African Ancestry (see more details here)
