
Source: Bettmann / Getty
Black History Month has been officially recognized by every sitting U.S. president since 1976, but the roots of the month-long celebration actually happened several decades before. As the nation joins together to remember the droves of accomplishments made by Black people, we look back to 1915 where the roots of the celebration were first formed.
In September of 1915, historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), which was established to highlight and boost the myriad of weighty achievements of Black Americans and other individuals across the vast diaspora. Today, the ASNLH is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).
Via the ASALH website, the organization explains how Woodson began Negro History Week in 1926, and how it expanded to what we know today.
From ASALH:
In 1926, Dr. Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week, which corresponded with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, this celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February, and today Black History Month garners support throughout the country as people of all ethnic and social backgrounds discuss the black experience. ASALH views the promotion of Black History Month as one of the most important components of advancing Dr. Woodson’s legacy.
Black History Month still remains a necessary signal booster regarding the lives and legacies of Black people in America and across the globe, although it is clear that one month couldn’t begin to illustrate every instance of Black excellence over the centuries here in the states and beyond. Of course, there are moments that might come off as performative but hopefully, there exists sincerity behind moves such as this.
For the month, Hip-Hop Wired will focus a portion of its coverage towards Black History Month, honoring some of the prominent figures who have influenced or elevated the culture.
Today, in honor of the first day of Black History Month, we’ve taken a look at the #BlackHistoryMonth hashtag on Twitter and several people have provided some insight, encouraging words, and observations regarding BHM.
We’ve got those reactions listed out below.
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Photo: Getty
#BlackHistoryMonth: Black History Month Gets Proper Recognition On Twitter was originally published on hiphopwired.com
1.
Happy New Year to our people! This is our reset. We celebrate all year. But we gonna turn it up a notch. Let’s have a great one. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/nqPklZWqjE
— stas (@AstasiaWill) February 1, 2021
2.
Happy #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/81ECyYGnDu
— Melanated 👑 (@ieatboysz1) February 1, 2021
3.
Happy Birthday to the great Langston Hughes! #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/NrDC16bXHp
— BlackCultureEntertainment🗣 (@4TheCulture____) February 1, 2021
4.
My hope for Black History Month is that Black people will find time to rest, as the past 12 months have been especially difficult.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) February 1, 2021
I also hope that non-Black people will take time to learn and unlearn things about Black people through listening and reading. #BlackHistoryMonth
5.
On This 1st Day Of Black History Month #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/dN6ZU1gqsd
— Positive Black Sisters (@PositiveBlackS1) February 1, 2021
6.
Every day is a day for both making and honoring Black history. Every. Single. Day. #BlackHistoryMonth
— Strong Black Lead (@strongblacklead) February 1, 2021
7.
#BLACKandSTEM, it's Monday & the first day of #BlackHistoryMonth
— Raychelle Burks (@DrRubidium) February 1, 2021
May your time not be wasted and may you get paid. May your projects make progress, those side hustles deliver, and your dance breaks be 🔥. As our fellow scholar @theestallion said pic.twitter.com/B7ZFuiSmUK
8.
🙌🏾🙌🏿🙌🏾🙌🏼Welcome to #BlackHistoryMonth! We honor Black history, Black excellence, and Black resilience all year, including February. We can't wait to share the people, places, events, and moments that shape our past, present, and future. Stay with us during the journey! pic.twitter.com/GWTuwn8cLM
— Nat'l Urban League (@NatUrbanLeague) February 1, 2021
9.
This year Howard University will continue to "Blackout for Black History." During #BlackHistoryMonth, we will celebrate the many achievements and accomplishments of Howard alumni, professors, faculty, staff and its departments. Stay tuned! #HowardForward pic.twitter.com/DpBVzrCy1l
— Howard University (@HowardU) February 1, 2021
10.
When people in Appalachian VA + KY saw traveling photographer William Mullins coming, they'd shout "Here comes the pictureman!"
— Appalshop (@Appalshop) February 1, 2021
“Pictureman” Mullins' photos correct the often whitewashed record of our region.
During #BlackHistoryMonth let's tell our WHOLE history. pic.twitter.com/CIS5V7DBFy
11.
Ok, fellow educators: This is the mood we need to be bringing into our classrooms for #BlackHistoryMonth. pic.twitter.com/EflT2RMkis
— Mrs. Hi-Z (@heisereads) February 1, 2021
12.
Happy Black History Month! While I celebrate my history every day of every month, I love that this clip captures the excitement of the BHM celebrations of my K-8 school in Harlem. #BlackHistoryMonth
— Celeste Malone (@cmonique1023) February 1, 2021
The Cleveland Show - Brown History Month https://t.co/lWXgyuMQ08 via @YouTube
13.
#BlackHistoryMonth mood pic.twitter.com/SuwEZEkYuU
— Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) February 1, 2021
14.
“Yes, I’m Black.
— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) February 1, 2021
I’m proud of it.
I’m Black and beautiful.”#MLK #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/vWmxkKUoTa
15.
I always loved teachers that saw #BlackHistoryMonth as an opportunity to not just teach us about history, but a responsibility to stress the gravity & evil of slavery.
— Ahmed Ali (@MrAhmednurAli) February 1, 2021
To give us a profound perspective, that resonates. pic.twitter.com/xdU7D8aUqH
16.
4 yrs ago today I started a drawing challenge for myself to depict a Black Woman in the form of these little kid characters I created every day for BHM. That project got turned into a book that just spent its 52nd week on the NYT Bestsellers list! TYASM! Happy #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/NZeuJ5Qw8N
— Vashti Harrison (@VashtiHarrison) February 1, 2021
17.
Happy #BlackHistoryMonth. I love us! 🖤🤎🖤🤎
— Keith Powers (@KeithTPowers) February 1, 2021
18.
Black lives matter before, during and after #BlackHistoryMonth.
— UN Women (@UN_Women) February 1, 2021
19.
Today in 1960, four Black college freshman sat down at this lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C. and helped change the nation.
— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) February 1, 2021
Jibreel Khazan, Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, and David Richmond's sit-in was a watershed event in the struggle for civil rights. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/79rwxYCGrE
20.
Happy Black History Month🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾#BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/f2Cwbihauw
— Black Girl Gamers (@blackgirlgamers) February 1, 2021