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Educator's Guide to Black History Month

Origins, Purpose, and Teaching Practice

Target Audience: K-5th Grade Educators

Purpose: Understanding the historical foundations and contemporary relevance of Black History Month

Focus: Evidence-based teaching rooted in scholarship and historical truth

📅 What is Black History Month?
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Black History Month is an annual celebration in February that honors the achievements, experiences, and contributions of African Americans throughout history. What began as Negro History Week in 1926 has evolved into a month-long commemoration observed across the United States.

Quick Facts:

  • When: February (entire month)
  • Founded: 1926 as Negro History Week by Carter G. Woodson
  • Expanded to Month: 1976 by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History
  • Central Purpose: To recognize African Americans as "normal human beings" with rich histories, achievements, and ongoing contributions to American society

Why February? Carter G. Woodson strategically chose the second week of February to align with existing celebrations of Abraham Lincoln's birthday (February 12) and Frederick Douglass' birthday (February 14). By building on traditions Black communities were already observing, Woodson increased the likelihood of widespread participation.

👤 Carter G. Woodson: "The Father of Black History"
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Who Was Carter G. Woodson?

Carter Godwin Woodson (1875-1950) was a pioneering historian, educator, and scholar who dedicated his life to documenting and celebrating African American history. His story embodies the transformative power of education.

His Journey:

  • Born: 1875 in Virginia to formerly enslaved parents
  • Early Life: Worked in coal mines, largely self-taught, entered high school at age 20
  • Education: Bachelor's from Berea College, Master's from University of Chicago, PhD from Harvard University (1912)
  • Achievement: Second African American to earn a PhD in history from Harvard (W.E.B. Du Bois was first)
What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hatred and religious prejudice."
— Carter G. Woodson on the purpose of Negro History Week

Why He Created Negro History Week

After being barred from attending American Historical Association conferences despite being a dues-paying member, Woodson recognized that the white-dominated historical profession had little interest in Black history. He saw African American contributions as "overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them."

His Mission:

  • To make Black history accessible beyond academic circles
  • To correct distortions in history textbooks
  • To help Black students understand their heritage
  • To demonstrate that African Americans had always been contributors to American society

His Legacy:

  • 1915: Founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now ASALH)
  • 1916: Launched The Journal of Negro History (now Journal of African American History)
  • 1926: Established Negro History Week
  • 1933: Published "The Mis-Education of the Negro," his most celebrated work
  • 1937: Created the Negro History Bulletin for elementary and high school teachers

Important Context: Woodson didn't invent the celebration of Black history from nothing. Black teachers had long been commemorating the birthdays of Black historical figures like Frederick Douglass and Phillis Wheatley in their classrooms. Negro History Week provided institutional structure and resources to expand these existing practices.

🔬 W.E.B. Du Bois: Science, Evidence, and Truth
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Who Was W.E.B. Du Bois?

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963) was a sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and intellectual who became one of the most influential thinkers on race in American history. As editor of The Crisis magazine for nearly 25 years, he modeled how to use evidence and scholarship to combat racism.

His Approach to Black History:

  • First African American to earn a PhD from Harvard (1895)
  • Co-founder of the NAACP (1909)
  • Editor of The Crisis magazine (1910-1934)
  • Author of groundbreaking works including "The Souls of Black Folk" and "Black Reconstruction in America"

Du Bois on Negro History Week

In a 1951 article, Du Bois reflected on Negro History Week and its meaning. He praised Carter G. Woodson's creation as his "crowning achievement" and described his own contributions as a "long effort as a historian and sociologist to make America and Negroes themselves aware of the significant facts of Negro history."

My role lay in trying to correct the distortion of history in regard to Negro enfranchisement, to make the nation conscious that this part of our citizenry were normal human beings who had served the nation credibly and were still being deprived of their credit by ignorant and prejudiced historians."
— W.E.B. Du Bois, 1951

The Power of Evidence-Based History

Du Bois understood that fighting racism required more than moral arguments—it required systematic, empirical evidence. Through The Crisis, he:

  • Published archaeological findings showing advanced African civilizations
  • Featured anthropological research disproving racial hierarchies
  • Highlighted scientific studies debunking "brain size" myths
  • Documented African American achievements in science, art, literature, and military service

Du Bois' Teaching Philosophy: When pastor Adam Clayton Powell sent Du Bois an address for publication in The Crisis, Du Bois refused to publish it because it misrepresented Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. Du Bois insisted on scientific accuracy even when correcting allies, demonstrating that truth and precision matter in fighting racism.

What Negro History Week Should Become

Du Bois believed Negro History Week should not simply celebrate past achievements but should "concentrate on study of the present" and connect historical understanding to contemporary struggles for justice. He emphasized that learning Black history was about understanding systems of power, not just memorizing facts about great individuals.

⏳ From Week to Month: The Evolution of Black History
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The Expansion from Week to Month

Negro History Week gained popularity throughout the country during the 1930s-1960s. By the 1940s, some communities were already celebrating for the entire month of February.

Timeline of Change:

  • 1926: First Negro History Week established
  • 1940s: West Virginia begins celebrating Negro History Month
  • 1960s: Civil Rights Movement increases consciousness of Black history
  • 1970: Black United Students at Kent State University propose month-long celebration
  • 1976: Association officially designates February as Black History Month
  • Mid-1970s onward: U.S. Presidents issue annual proclamations recognizing Black History Month

The Name Change: The shift from "Negro History" to "Black History" reflected generational changes in racial identity and consciousness, particularly among young African Americans on college campuses who were increasingly connected to Pan-African movements and African heritage.

What Changed and What Stayed the Same

While the duration expanded and the terminology evolved, the core purpose remained constant:

  • Correcting omissions and distortions in mainstream history
  • Affirming Black students' identities and heritage
  • Educating all Americans about African American contributions
  • Connecting past struggles to present-day movements for justice
Negro History Week was not the week just to learn about Black history but the week to come together and celebrate what they had learned about Black life and culture in the past year."
— Carter G. Woodson's vision for the commemoration
💡 Teaching Black History in Today's Classrooms
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The Ongoing Relevance

Nearly a century after Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week, Black History Month continues to serve critical educational and social purposes:

For Students:

  • Identity Affirmation: Black students see themselves reflected in curriculum and understand their heritage
  • Complete History: All students learn a more accurate, comprehensive American history
  • Critical Thinking: Students examine how history has been told and who gets to tell it
  • Present Connections: Students understand historical roots of contemporary issues

For Educators:

  • Professional Growth: Deepening knowledge of African American history improves all teaching
  • Curriculum Correction: Addressing gaps and biases in standard textbooks
  • Modeling Research: Demonstrating how to find and use primary sources
  • Cultural Competency: Building stronger relationships with diverse students and families

From the Smithsonian: "Experiencing Black History Month every year reminds us that history is not dead or distant from our lives. Rather, African American History is just as vibrant today as it was when Woodson created it... because it helps us to remember there is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history."

Beyond Celebration: History as Change

Both Woodson and Du Bois saw Black history as more than commemoration—they viewed it as a tool for social transformation. Understanding history helps students:

  • Recognize patterns of resistance and resilience
  • See connections between past and present struggles
  • Understand how social change happens
  • Develop agency and hope for the future
There would be no lynching if it did not start in the schoolroom."
— Carter G. Woodson, "The Mis-Education of the Negro" (1933)

Woodson understood that how students learn (or don't learn) about Black people in school directly affects how society treats Black people. Accurate, comprehensive Black history education is thus not just about the past—it shapes the present and future.

🧭 Navigating Current Constraints
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The Current Landscape

Some states have enacted laws and policies that restrict how Black history can be taught in schools. These restrictions have led to the removal of books, scaling back of lessons, and uncertainty among educators about what they can teach.

What Educators Face:

  • Restrictions on discussing certain historical topics or themes
  • Removal of books from classroom libraries and reading lists
  • Limited professional development on teaching Black history
  • Fear of consequences for teaching certain content
  • Pressure to scale back Black History Month celebrations

Grounding Your Practice in History and Evidence

The work of Carter G. Woodson and W.E.B. Du Bois offers a roadmap for navigating these constraints. Their approach was always rooted in evidence, scholarship, and historical fact—principles that remain legally and professionally sound today.

Core Principles for Your Teaching:

  • Teach with Historical Artifacts: Documents, photographs, audio media, and scholarly consensus
  • Use Primary Sources: Let historical documents, photographs, and firsthand accounts speak for themselves
  • Emphasize Contributions: Highlight African American achievements in science, literature, art, invention, and civic life
  • Connect to Standards: Align lessons with social studies, literacy, and critical thinking standards
  • Teach the Discipline of History: Show students how historians use evidence to understand the past

What You Can Always Teach

Regardless of state restrictions, these topics remain foundational to American history and are defensible as core curriculum:

Historical Events and Periods:

  • The institution of slavery and its economic impact on American development
  • The Civil War and Reconstruction
  • The Great Migration
  • The Civil Rights Movement
  • Key Supreme Court cases (Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education)

Historical Figures:

  • Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth
  • Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Carter G. Woodson
  • George Washington Carver, Benjamin Banneker, Katherine Johnson
  • Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, John Lewis
  • Thurgood Marshall, Barack Obama

African American Contributions:

  • Inventions and patents by Black inventors
  • Military service in every American war
  • Literary, musical, and artistic achievements
  • Scientific and medical advances
  • Leadership in social movements and civic organizations

Legal Standing: Teaching factual, evidence-based history has strong legal protections. When you teach verified historical facts using scholarly sources, you are fulfilling your professional responsibilities and meeting educational standards.

📝 Practical Teaching Strategies for Black History Month
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The Du Bois Approach: Evidence First

Follow W.E.B. Du Bois' model of using evidence and scholarship to teach history:

Evidence-Based Teaching Methods:

  • Start with Documents: Show students historical letters, newspaper articles, photographs, and artifacts
  • Use Multiple Sources: Present different perspectives on the same event
  • Teach Source Evaluation: Help students assess reliability and bias in historical sources
  • Connect to Present: Ask "How does understanding this history help us understand today?"
  • Emphasize Agency: Show how individuals and communities created change

The Woodson Approach: Making History Accessible

Follow Carter G. Woodson's emphasis on making Black history relevant and engaging for all students:

Accessible History Methods:

  • Tell Stories: Use narrative to make historical figures come alive
  • Find Local Connections: Research Black history in your community
  • Use Biography: Study individual lives to understand broader movements
  • Celebrate Throughout the Year: Don't limit Black history to February
  • Include Student Voices: Let students share family histories and connections

Age-Appropriate Approaches

Grades K-1:

  • Focus on individual stories of courage and achievement
  • Use picture books about historical figures
  • Emphasize fairness, kindness, and standing up for what's right
  • Celebrate contributions in age-appropriate ways (inventions, art, music)
  • Example: Read about Ruby Bridges and discuss bravery and kindness

Grades 2-3:

  • Introduce concept of primary sources (photographs, letters, objects)
  • Study specific historical events (Underground Railroad, March on Washington)
  • Compare past and present (school segregation then and now)
  • Research local Black history
  • Example: Study Harriet Tubman using historical maps and escape narratives

Grades 4-5:

  • Analyze multiple perspectives on historical events
  • Study cause and effect in Civil Rights Movement
  • Research and present on historical figures
  • Examine how laws changed and why
  • Connect historical struggles to contemporary issues
  • Example: Compare strategies of different Civil Rights leaders

Cross-Curricular Integration

Language Arts:

  • Read biography and historical fiction by Black authors
  • Study speeches by Frederick Douglass, MLK Jr., Barack Obama
  • Write first-person narratives from historical perspectives
  • Analyze poetry from the Harlem Renaissance

Math:

  • Graph demographic changes during the Great Migration
  • Calculate timelines and historical dates
  • Study contributions of Black mathematicians (Katherine Johnson, Benjamin Banneker)

Science:

  • Study inventions by Black inventors (traffic light, blood bank, etc.)
  • Learn about Black scientists and their discoveries
  • Examine how George Washington Carver's agricultural innovations helped farmers

Arts:

  • Study artwork from the Harlem Renaissance
  • Listen to spirituals, jazz, blues, and discuss historical context
  • Create artwork inspired by historical events
⚠️ Addressing Common Challenges and Questions
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"I'm worried about getting in trouble for teaching certain topics"

Protection Through Practice:

  • Align with Standards: Document how lessons meet state social studies standards
  • Use Approved Textbooks: Even if supplementing, reference required materials
  • Stick to Facts: Teach verified historical events, not opinions
  • Use Scholarly Sources: Cite historians, museums, and academic institutions
  • Document Your Planning: Keep lesson plans showing educational objectives
  • Communicate with Administrators: Share your plans proactively

"My textbook barely covers Black history"

Supplementing Effectively:

  • Use Library of Congress primary source materials (free, vetted)
  • Access Smithsonian National Museum of African American History resources
  • Utilize teaching guides from historical societies and museums
  • Incorporate biography books from school library
  • Show age-appropriate documentaries from reputable sources

"Students ask difficult questions about racism and injustice"

Responding to Hard Questions:

  • Acknowledge: "That's a really important question"
  • Return to Facts: "Here's what historians have documented..."
  • Age-Appropriate Language: Adjust complexity to developmental level
  • Focus on Actions: Emphasize what people did to create change
  • Avoid Oversimplifying: History is complex—it's okay to say "historians disagree" or "this is complicated"
  • Connect to Values: "Many people worked for fairness and justice"

"Parents complain about Black History Month lessons"

Communicating with Families:

  • Send home information about Black History Month learning objectives
  • Explain how lessons connect to standards
  • Invite families to share their own histories and traditions
  • Frame lessons as "complete American history"
  • Emphasize you're teaching facts, not opinions
  • Document concerns and consult administrators when needed

"I don't feel knowledgeable enough about Black history"

Building Your Knowledge:

  • Start with one topic or figure you're interested in
  • Use reputable sources (see Resources section)
  • Learn alongside your students—model being a learner
  • Attend professional development when available
  • Partner with colleagues who have expertise
  • Remember: You don't need to know everything to teach effectively
📚 Essential Resources for Teaching Black History
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Primary Source Collections (Free and Vetted)

Library of Congress

  • African American History Collections: Photographs, documents, recordings
  • Born in Slavery: Slave narratives from Federal Writers' Project
  • Civil Rights History Project: Oral histories and documents

Smithsonian Institution

  • National Museum of African American History and Culture: Online exhibitions, teaching resources, object collections
  • National Portrait Gallery: Images of historical figures with context

National Archives

  • DocsTeach: Primary source activities for classrooms
  • Teaching with Documents: Lesson plans using historical documents

Teaching Organizations

Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)

  • Annual Black History Month theme and resources
  • Continuing Carter G. Woodson's mission since 1915

Zinn Education Project

  • Free downloadable lessons on people's history
  • Teaching guides on specific topics and events

Teaching Tolerance (Learning for Justice)

  • Free classroom resources
  • Social justice standards aligned with academic standards

Recommended Books for Educators

Understanding the History:

  • "The Mis-Education of the Negro" by Carter G. Woodson (1933)
  • "Black Reconstruction in America" by W.E.B. Du Bois (1935)
  • "Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi (2016)
  • "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson (2010)

Teaching Practice:

  • "Teaching Hard History: American Slavery" by Teaching Tolerance
  • "Why Race and Culture Matter in Schools" by Tyrone C. Howard
  • "For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood" by Christopher Emdin

Children's Literature by Grade Level

K-2nd Grade:

  • "Mae Among the Stars" by Roda Ahmed (Mae Jemison)
  • "The Story of Ruby Bridges" by Robert Coles
  • "My First Book of Black History Heroes" by various authors
  • "Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race" (picture book version)

3rd-5th Grade:

  • "Who Was...?" biography series (multiple Black historical figures)
  • "Freedom's Gifts: A Juneteenth Story" by Valerie Wesley
  • "Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer" by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • "Separate Is Never Equal" by Duncan Tonatiuh (Sylvia Mendez story)

Digital Resources and Multimedia

Videos and Documentaries:

  • PBS Learning Media: Free, curriculum-aligned videos
  • Smithsonian Learning Lab: Create digital lessons with museum collections
  • C-SPAN Classroom: Historical speeches and events

Interactive Resources:

  • Google Arts & Culture: Virtual tours of civil rights sites
  • National Geographic: Black History educational games and articles
⭐ Key Takeaways for Educators
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  1. Black History Month is Rooted in Scholarship: Carter G. Woodson and W.E.B. Du Bois created this commemoration based on rigorous historical research and evidence. Your teaching should follow their example.
  2. Teaching Facts is Always Defensible: When you teach documented historical events using scholarly sources, you are on solid professional and legal ground.
  3. This Is American History: Black history is not separate from or supplemental to American history—it is an integral part of the American story.
  4. Primary Sources Are Powerful: Let historical documents, photographs, and firsthand accounts speak for themselves. This builds critical thinking skills while teaching content.
  5. History Connects to Present: Help students see how understanding the past illuminates the present and prepares them for the future.
  6. You Don't Need to Know Everything: Model being a learner. Research topics alongside your students and show them how to find reliable information.
  7. February Is a Beginning, Not an End: Woodson intended Negro History Week to launch year-long learning. Integrate Black history throughout your curriculum.
  8. Focus on Agency and Achievement: While teaching about struggles and injustices, emphasize how people created change and contributed to society.
  9. Align with Standards: Connect Black history lessons to your state's social studies, literacy, and critical thinking standards.
  10. Build Community: Connect with other educators, access professional resources, and remember you're part of a tradition dating back to Carter G. Woodson.
💭 Final Reflection: Why Your Teaching Matters
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For Black people, teaching—educating—was fundamentally political because it was rooted in anti-racist struggle."
— bell hooks, "Teaching to Transgress"

Teaching Black history has never been just about transmitting information. From the earliest Black teachers in segregated schools to Carter G. Woodson to educators today, teaching Black history has always been an act of resistance against erasure and distortion.

When you teach Black history accurately and comprehensively, you are:

  • Affirming the humanity and dignity of all students
  • Preparing students to participate in a diverse democracy
  • Correcting generations of omissions and misrepresentations
  • Following in the footsteps of scholars and educators who fought for truth
  • Helping all students understand their shared history

W.E.B. Du Bois wrote in 1951 that Black History Month should concentrate on "study of the present" and connect historical understanding to contemporary struggles. He believed that learning about the past should help us "speak of the good that can overcome evil."

Carter G. Woodson insisted that the week was not just about celebrating Black achievements but about understanding "the Negro in history"—seeing African Americans as full participants in the American story from the beginning.

Today, as some seek to restrict how this history can be taught, your commitment to evidence-based, factual, comprehensive history education is more important than ever. You are not just teaching lessons—you are continuing a tradition of resistance, scholarship, and truth-telling that stretches back more than a century.

History is not dead or distant from our lives... There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history."
— Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Your teaching matters. The truth matters. History matters.

Sources and Further Reading

Primary Articles:

Besek, Jordan. "W.E.B. Du Bois embraced science to fight racism as editor of NAACP's magazine The Crisis." The Conversation, December 15, 2020. https://theconversation.com/w-e-b-du-bois-embraced-science-to-fight-racism-as-editor-of-naacps-magazine-the-crisis-150825

Williams, Chad. "W.E.B. Du Bois, Black History Month and the importance of African American studies." The Conversation, February 6, 2023. https://theconversation.com/w-e-b-du-bois-black-history-month-and-the-importance-of-african-american-studies-199232

Additional References:

"Carter G. Woodson." NAACP, February 17, 2023. https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/civil-rights-leaders/carter-g-woodson

Givens, Jarvis R. "Celebrating Black History Month's founder." Interview. The Harvard Gazette, February 7, 2022. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/02/celebrating-black-history-months-founder/

Scott, Daryl Michael. "Knowing the Past Opens the Door to the Future: The Continuing Importance of Black History Month." National Museum of African American History and Culture, February 7, 2022. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/knowing-past-opens-door-future-continuing-importance-black-history-month

"Feb. 7, 1926: Carter G. Woodson Launched Negro History Week." Zinn Education Project. https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/carter-woodson-black-history-month/

"Carter G. Woodson – Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery." Harvard University. https://legacyofslavery.harvard.edu/legacy-of-leadership/carter-g-woodson/

"Carter G. Woodson: The Man Behind Black History Month." History.com, May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/the-man-behind-black-history-month

This guide was developed by This Month™ to support K-5 educators in teaching Black History Month with historical accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and pedagogical excellence. All articles are used under Creative Commons licensing or with proper attribution.