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Black History Month started as Negro History Week (second week of February) in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Over the decades, this week was endorsed as a holiday.
The first proposal for a whole month was by the Black United Students at Kent State University in 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month was in 1970. Black History Month was federally recognized in 1976 by President Gerald Ford as part of the United States Bicentennial.
Each year has a theme; 2014's theme is Civil Rights in America.
Some sites for further information about Black History Month:
Origins of Black History Month - Letter from Daryl Michael Scott, Vice-President of Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
Smithsonian Education - Events in Washington D.C. and New York City, educator resources, and an African American Cultural Heritage Virtual Tour are some of the items available on this site.
image: theholidayzone.com
Text:NF
Some books and e-books in our collection related to the breadth of African-American history and culture include (selections: NF) :