When is Black History Month?

Black History Month is celebrated in the United States every February. In 1976, President Gerald Ford was the first American president to officially recognize Black History Month, which already was celebrated at many colleges.

The choice of February stems back to 1926, when the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History established Negro History week. The association chose the second week of February, which marked the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln and the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The modern-day Black History Month marks important historical events and honors the achievements of African-American individuals.