What is Black History Month, and why is it important?

"But many Americans of color, especially Black Americans, have long complained their stories, their accomplishments, have all too often been left out of the history books. "It's not just Black history," Harvard Kennedy School professor Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad said. "My thing is, this is American history." In 1926, Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson organized National Negro History Week to promote and celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, which has grown into today's "Black History Month.""

""We really do have to make sure that a broader, richer, what I might call an anti-racist basis for learning American history be taught to every child in this country," Dr. Muhammad said. "And especially white children." Dr. Muhammed, a professor of history, race and policy, says you can't actually understand the country's politics, its wealth, and the fragility of its democracy, if you don't acknowledge the global footprint of Black people. "This is our history," he said. "This is the world we made together.""

February is Black History Month, a time to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans. Black history is part of American history and is important for all Americans to know, learn, and understand. Many Black Americans have long complained that their stories and accomplishments have often been left out of history books. National Negro History Week began in 1926 to promote and celebrate Black achievements and developed into Black History Month to counter negative, racist stereotypes ingrained in American culture. A broader, richer, anti-racist basis for teaching American history should be provided to every child to understand the nation's politics, wealth, fragile democracy, and the global footprint of Black people.

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