Celebrating Black History Month

February 2024

February is Black History Month, and it has been nationally recognized by every U.S. president since Gerald Ford in 1976. We are happy to share resources with you throughout February to bring to students’ attention the achievements of African Americans and recognize their contributions throughout U.S. history. Check out the links below

National Archives

The National Archives holds a wealth of material documenting the African American experience and highlights these resources online, in programs, and through traditional and social media.https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/african-american-history

Public Broadcasting

PBS provides a collection of 17 lesson plans and resources that cover topics ranging from important civil rights anniversaries to discussions about race in current events.

Classroom resources for Black History Month | PBS NewsHour Classroom

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Explore Black History Month with your students using lessons, podcasts, activities, and primary sources.

https://historyexplorer.si.edu/major-themes/theme/black-history-month

National Geographic KIDS

A brief history of the celebration and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/black-history-month

CNN

CNN focuses on 28 Black figures – one for each day of February – who don’t often make the history books.

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/02/us/little-known-black-history-figures

National Park Service

From the first footsteps of enslaved peoples on American soil to where Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged us all to rise to his “Dream,” national parks preserve the places where this history happened.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/africanamericanheritage/index.htm/index.htm

iCIVICS

In celebration of Black History Month, iCivics shares resources as well as partner organizations to support learning and conversations in the classroom.

https://www.icivics.org/news/blog-post/black-history-month-lesson-plans-and-resources-classroom-0

Center for Civic Education

The Center for Civic Education has posted The School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program presenting lesson plans that explore the use of nonviolence in history, paying particular attention to the civil rights movement, and African American history.

https://www.civiced.org/lesson-plans/black-history-month

History Channel

General information for Black History Month is presented by the History Channel.

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

Thanks – Tanya Baldwin– WVDE Secondary Social Studies Coordinator