WHO declared Black History Month?

President Gerald Ford
President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Why was February chosen as Black History Month?

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, a former slave, was a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement, which fought to end slavery.

Where did Black History Month originate from?

The story of Black History Month begins in Chicago during the summer of 1915. An alumnus of the University of Chicago with many friends in the city, Carter G. Woodson traveled from Washington, D.C. to participate in a national celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation sponsored by the state of Illinois.

When did Black History Month start?

January 2, 1970 – February 28, 1970 (Kent State University)
Black History Month/Date of first occurrence

What did Black people invent?

The street letter drop mailbox with a hinged door that closed to protect the mail was invented by Philip B. Downing. Downing, an African-American inventor, patented his new device on October 27,1891 (US Patent # 462,096). The gas mask was invented by Garrett Morgan, an African-American inventor.

What is the 2022 Black History Month theme?

The 2022 Black History Month’s theme is Black Health and Wellness.

What is the 2020 Black History Month theme?

2020 Theme: African Americans and the Vote

The year 2020 also marks the sesquicentennial of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) and the right of Black men to the ballot after the Civil War. The theme speaks, therefore, to the ongoing struggle on the part of both Black men and Black women for the right to vote.

Who is the most famous Black inventor?

George Washington Carver, Madam C.J. Walker, Lonnie G. Johnson, Garrett Morgan, Patricia Bath, Percy Julian and more are responsible for some of the world’s greatest technological and social advancements.

Why was Black History Month created?

Black History Month was first proposed by Black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University in February 1969. … He urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history“.

Who is the most important Black person in history?

Martin Luther King, Jr. No single African American in history is perhaps as famous as Martin Luther King, Jr. A federal holiday on the third Monday each January celebrates his legacy. Entire sections of textbooks are devoted to his civil rights activism in the 1950s and 1960s.

When did Canada start celebrating Black History Month?

In December 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month in Canada following a motion introduced by the first African Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine.

Who are the black history heroes?

5 Black History Heroes Every Student Should Know
  • Martin Luther King Jr.: Before He Changed the World. You know Martin Luther King, Jr. …
  • Matthew Henson: Arctic Explorer. …
  • Barbara Johns: Teen Civil Rights Crusader. …
  • Katherine Johnson: Space Hero. …
  • Claudette Colvin: True Teen Warrior for Desegregation.

Who was the father of black history?

Woodson
Known as the “Father of Black History,” Woodson (1875-1950) was the son of former slaves, and understood how important gaining a proper education is when striving to secure and make the most out of one’s divine right of freedom.

Who is the most powerful Black man?

According to the 2021 Forbes ranking of the world’s billionaires, Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote had a net worth of $11.5 billion and was the world’s richest black man.

Who was the first black history person?

Carter Godwin Woodson
Carter G. Woodson
Born Carter Godwin WoodsonDecember 19, 1875 New Canton, Virginia, U.S.
Died April 3, 1950 (aged 74) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education Berea College (B.Litt 1903) University of Chicago (A.B., A.M. 1908) Harvard University (Ph.D. 1912)
Occupation Historian, author, journalist

What was Dr Woodson’s rationale for starting Black History Month?

In 1926, Woodson developed Negro History Week. He believed “the achievements of the Negro properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization.” In 1976, Negro History Week expanded into Black History Month.

Is Carter Woodson alive?

Deceased (1875–1950)
Carter G. Woodson/Living or Deceased

Who is the first Black billionaire?

He became the first African-American billionaire in 2001. Johnson’s companies have counted among the most prominent African-American businesses in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
…
Robert L. Johnson
Born Robert Louis Johnson April 8, 1946 Hickory, Mississippi, U.S.

What is the theme for Black History Month 2021?

Black History Month returned to its roots with a new focus on black family ties in 2021. The theme for 2021, “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity“, explored the wide-ranging diversity of black family life — from single to two-parent households to nuclear, extended and, more recently, bi-racial.

What was Dr Carter G Woodson known for?

Woodson, in full Carter Godwin Woodson, (born Dec. 19, 1875, New Canton, Va., U.S.—died April 3, 1950, Washington, D.C.), American historian who first opened the long-neglected field of black studies to scholars and also popularized the field in the schools and colleges of black people.

What are fun facts about Woodson?

Woodson won a Newbery Honor in 2006 for Show Way. Locomotion was a National Book Award finalist and won a Corretta Scott King Honor in 2004. Woodson also won a Corretta Scott King Honor in 2001 and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Miracle’s Boys, which was made into a mini-series. In 2006, she won the Margaret A.