Celebrating Black History Month—Feb. 12, 2025

[Originally published February 2024; Updated with 2025 resources & events]

A Brief History of Black History Month
Every February, we celebrate Black History Month by recognizing the many contributions and sacrifices of our Black and African American community. Before there was a month, there was “Negro History Week,” established in 1926 by U.S. historian Carter G. Woodson, who became known as the “father of Black History.” Woodson envisioned a weeklong celebration to encourage the coordinated teaching of Black history in public schools (Britannica). By the 1960s, this weeklong celebration evolved into a month-long celebration and in 1976, President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month during the country's 1976 bicentennial. February was chosen primarily because the second week of the month coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln was influential in the emancipation of slaves and Douglass was a former slave and a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement (NPR). The Association for the Study of African American Life & History (ASALH) establishes a theme for Black History Month each year, a tradition initiated by Woodson. The theme for 2025 is “African Americans and Labor.” Read more about this year’s theme on the ASALH website.

Celebrating Black History Month at CU
CU’s Division of Student Affairs has compiled a webpage that includes many opportunities for the CU community to celebrate, learn, and engage. Each year, University Libraries publishes a recommended reading list for Black History Month. This year, they have expanded this into an extensive guide that includes external resources and information, CU resources, and recommended reading and viewing. Relatedly, the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) has also created a guide that is intended to serve as a starting point for exploring the many resources that CU Libraries has related to African and African American Studies.