Kaw Valley Printing

Black History month began in 1925 as Negro History Week, a concept devised by Carter G. Woodson and was first celebrated in February 1926. The week in February was chosen because it encompassed both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Fifty years later, President Gerald R. Ford would dedicate the entire month of February to Black history and urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Today, we continue to recognize the importance of Black history in the landscape of the history of the United States. We take this time to pay tribute to the generations of Black Americans who have struggled with adversity, oppression and persecution in order to achieve full citizenship in American society. During the month of February, we will be sharing significant stories of black history.

Photos (clockwise): Frederick Douglass, Susie King Taylor, Jacob Stroyer, Robert Smalls, William Carney, Abraham Lincoln. All NPS photos