Click here to view our full calendar of events for Black History Month.
February is Black History Month; it is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
Who Started Black History Month?
Carter G. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History,” developed Black History Month. Woodson, whose parents were enslaved, was an author, historian and the second African American to earn a Ph.D. at Harvard University.
He recognized that the American education system offered very little information about the accomplishments of African Americans and founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
In 1926, Woodson proposed a national “Negro History Week,” which was intended to showcase everything students learned about Black history throughout the school year, King said.
It wasn’t until 1976, during the height of the civil rights movement, that President Gerald Ford expanded the week into Black History Month.
Why is Black History Month Important?
Before the country can move past racial harm, there needs to be “truth, then accountability and then maybe reconciliation,” said Dionne Grayman, who trains schools to have difficult conversations about race.
Failing to understand the history of race and racism and a strong desire to overlook the worst aspects of racist violence in the United States has fueled resentment toward civil rights activism.
Annual Black History Month Celebration
ft. Ezell’s Famous Chicken
| Date and Time | Friday, February 26th, 2021 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm |
| Audience | Open to all! |
| Sponsor | Black Student Union (BSU) Contact: Amanda Chamba |
| Event Link | Click here to join on Zoom! Meeting ID: 876 8191 6738 Passcode: 031607 |
| Description | Join us in celebrating the final week of Black History Month alongside the 36th Anniversary of Ezell’s Famous Chicken. Mr. Lewis Rudds, CEO/Co-founder will present his personal testimony on his journey navigating redlining, systemic racism, among the many other barriers he had to overcome in achieving the honor of becoming a black business owner within the city of Seattle. Click here to read Lewis Rudds’ bio. Ezell’s has generously donated 60 gift certificates for students and 40 for staff and faculty to enjoy a meal from Ezell’s Famous Chicken during the presentation. The registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, and those registering for the gift certificate must attend the presentation! Once you obtain a gift certificate you must order your food prior to the presentation and eat while listening to Mr. Lewis Rudd speak. To register for Ezell’s $10.00 gift certificate, go to: https://forms.bellevuecollege.edu/organizations/ezells-famous/ |