Black History Month

"If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization". Carter G Woodson

Black History Month Origins

Black History Month is open to participation by everyone and is ideally developed, delivered and managed as an educational and historical awareness experience by Black people - African Heritage experience and should be shared by everyone as world history.[Akyaaba Addai Sebo - New African October Magazine]

In 1830, at the height of their power, French and British colonialists began re-writing the history of human civilization from. In doing so they removed the history of African civilizations from the annals of world history. Far from being civilized, Africans were cannibalistic jungle savages who had their first taste of civilised life when the white man rode into their lives.

The legacy of this crime is very much evident today when white football spectators throw bananas at Black footballers or Italian politicians who did the same to their country's first ever Black government minister in 2012. From then till now Black people around the world have struggled to have their history and cultural heritage recognised and accepted by all.

In 1926, Carter G Woodson, the editor of the Journal of Negro History launched the first African-American cultural heritage celebrations. It was called 'Negro History Week'. This grew into the celebrations known from 1976 onwards, as Black History Month. Black History Month celebrations are held in February each year in the USA and each October in the United Kingdom.

South Africa also celebrates Black History Month. Woodson had founded the Association for Study of Negro Life & History organized on September 9, 1915.