CBN Reporter Catori Nicholas asks Holbrook Middle High School students about their favorite Black historical figures in honor of Black History Month. The month is observed by the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. It is celebrated in February in North America and in October in Europe. It gained traction in the 1970s and was eventually recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976. President Ford called on Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”. 

The origins of a Black History Month goes back to its precursor, which was called “Negro History Week”. It was created and spearheaded in 1926 by Black historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. It occurred during the second week of February because of it corresponding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, on the 12th, and Frederick Douglass, on the 14th. Although it wasn’t widely recognized, it provided the foundation for the future push needed for a Black History Month.