When Did Black History Month Get Its Start
16 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month
Here are just some of the things to do, read, and see to immerse yourself in the rich history of Black culture.
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You don't have to wait till February, either
These resources walk through centuries of Black history and are just the tip of the iceberg. They're are available all year round, too, so don't stop taking the time to listen and participate in these Black History Month activities once February's over. And don't limit yourself to just listening—act! And learn what it anti-racism means and what it means to be anti-racist.
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Support a Black-owned business
In addition to already being underrepresented in the business world, Black business owners have taken a massive hit during the pandemic, with a 41 percent drop in Black business ownership between February and April alone. Supporting a Black-owned business is a great way to directly, financially support the Black community in your area. Plus, chances are you won't be disappointed and you'll find a new favorite restaurant or spot to shop! Check out our full guide to supporting Black-owned businesses.
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Visit the National Museum of African American History & Culture
If you have a bucket list for every state in the United States, add a visit to this museum in Washington, D.C. As part of the Smithsonian, it's filled with collections and exhibits that will move and inspire you. You'll see art and artifacts that span our nation's history. The museum directors believe that this museum is for all Americans to better understand our nation's history through the African American lens. Add this to your list of Black History Month activities to do.
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Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Letter from a Birmingham Jail'
You may have been assigned to read Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous letter in your high school English class. There's no better time to read it again. The letter is considered a key document in the Civil Rights Movement, but it's also a great work of literature. In the letter, written in 1963, Dr. King argues movingly for nonviolent resistance to racism. His letter is all the more powerful because it's written from a jail cell—King had been arrested during a peaceful protest against segregation. These inspirational quotes from Dr. King will restore your faith in humanity.
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WatchHidden Figures
This beloved movie (based on a New York Times bestseller) follows the stories of three Black women scientists working at NASA during the Civil Rights era. You'll see their amazing contributions from within a culture of discrimination and inequality. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe shine as the science and math whizzes who play key roles in America's space race. Already saw this 2016 flick? Watch one of these documentaries about race everyone should see.
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Read Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad
Whitehead's riveting, can't-put-it-down novel won the National Book Award, the Man Booker Prize, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It's just that good. Whitehead sets his story during the 1800s in the American South. Everything is just how you'd expect, only skewed weird and slightly different. The story follows an escaped slave on her terrifying journey north. The "underground railroad" she traverses is a literal series of below-ground trains. This is a searing and chilling must-read portrait of American history. Here are more essential books for understanding race relations in America.
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Watch Loving
Watch this acclaimed drama about the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. Interracial marriage was still illegal in some states until 1967. The movie follows the real-life couple, Richard and Mildred Loving, who were sentenced to a year in jail for marrying. Ruth Negga was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance. Joel Edgerton plays her devoted husband in this inspiring love story set within profound injustice. Find out the things about Black History Month you didn't learn in school.
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Read Ron Wimberly's Black History in Its Own Words
This awesome art book features pop art and comic style portraits of Black artists and activists, like Angela Davis, Ice Cube, Shirley Chisholm, bell hooks, and others. The book features a series of portraits with a noteworthy quote chosen for each selected black artist or luminary. The Jimi Hendrix page, like all of them, captures his own words: "There's a whole lot of changes happening, but now it's time for all these changes to connect." Wimberly's style captures the wisdom, strength, and genius of Black icons and leaders across history. Don't forget to read these powerful Black History Month quotes that will inspire and motivate you.
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Watch I Am Not Your Negro
Raoul Peck's acclaimed documentary is an absolute must-see. It's based on one of writer Jame's Baldwin's unfinished manuscripts, but it shines a light on the racism throughout America's history. Baldwin lived and wrote during the Civil Rights era, and the film explores his experience with friends and allies such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers. Samuel L. Jackson narrates this powerful portrait of Baldwin's towering intellect and the time in which he lived and wrote. It's an essential history lesson with a huge impact. You can't see it and remain unmoved. Read about these 14 small ways you can fight racism every day.
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Read Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Published in 1937, Hurston's novel is a masterwork of American literature and the Harlem Renaissance. It follows heroine Janie Crawford's harrowing love life but transcends simple melodrama and heartache. Janie's journey shows the strength and dignity in black women's experience. Hurston writes with originality and lyricism in language that demonstrates extreme artistry that wasn't recognized during her lifetime. So give it a go now. You won't be sorry. Find out some facts about Black History Month you never knew.
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Visit the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
This Baltimore museum aims to educate and motivate by focusing on great leaders in African American history. You'll see exhibitions spanning black history from roots in Africa to the Harlem Renaissance to Civil Rights to Inventors and Modern Leaders and everything in between. You'll see life-size wax figures of Harriet Tubman, Billie Holiday, and many other historical figures who bring history to life in an environment that inspires. Perfect for the whole family or school-age groups. And you can also take a virtual tour! These are the "facts" about the Civil Rights movement that actually aren't true.
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Get to know Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland is the first African American principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theatre. Copeland was discovered as a child prodigy and was dancing professionally within one year of her first ballet lesson. Check out her website to see images and video of her remarkable talent. You'll find yourself awestruck, inspired, and absolutely enamored with ballet as an art form. There's also a PBS documentary about Copeland you can check out. You can also read this powerful piece about what Copeland's mother taught her about being Black in America.
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Visit The Motown Museum
"Motown Sound" transformed the music scene in America during the 1960s with such artists as Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, and the Supremes. Motown also launched the careers of the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder, infusing rock n' roll with black music culture and the styles of jazz and gospel. If you visit the interactive museum in Detroit, you can sing along in Studio A and see exhibits and memorabilia that celebrate and honor Motown influence and history. Don't miss these history lessons your teacher probably got wrong.
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Read The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Michelle Alexander's acclaimed bestseller examines the ways that discrimination persists in new forms in our contemporary time. We may think we live in an age of colorblindness, but this important book explains how the criminal justice system perpetuates institutionalized racism. Alexander is a legal scholar and civil rights advocate who persuasively sheds light on aspects of racism that need examination and reform. Here's why you should stop saying "I don't see color."
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Listen to a podcast
Podcasts are all the rage—and they're educating people on a huge variety of subjects. There's no shortage of podcasts about the Black experience, lesser-known history of racism in America, and racial disparities. Educating yourself is a critical part of becoming anti-racist, so grab your earbuds and start learning. We recommend podcasts like "1619," "Code Switch," "The Diversity Gap," and these other podcasts about race you need to hear. Also, exclusively for Black History Month 2021, the podcast "Antiracism at Work" is available for free at himalaya.com/antiracist. It's one of the Black History Month activities you can participate in whether you're at home or on-the-go.
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Read poetry by Amanda Gorman
It was hard to miss the enthralling recitation by 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman, who read her original poem "The Hill We Climb" at President Joe Biden's inauguration. (And she's performing at the upcoming Super Bowl!) Now that she's cementing her place as an up-and-coming American superstar, learn more about her and read more of her powerful words.
Originally Published: February 04, 2021
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When Did Black History Month Get Its Start
Source: https://www.rd.com/list/ways-to-celebrate-black-history-month/