Black History Month

As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

The Black Awakening of the 1960s dramatically expanded the consciousness of African Americans about the importance of black history, and the Civil Rights movement focused Americans of all colors on the subject of the contributions of African Americans to our history and culture. The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Since then, each American president has issued Black History Month proclamations. And the association—now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—continues to promote the study of Black history all year.

Source: blackhistorymonth.gov

More Resources

· For Black History Month Virtual Festival, visit asalh.org/festival. This year’s theme is African Americans and Labor.

· For a brief history of Black History in Illinois, visit dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/research/afamhist.

Celebrate at the Library!

An Evening with James McBride
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 7:00pm
Join us online for a special event with award-winning author, musician and screenwriter, James McBride. His book, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, is the library’s February Book of the Month for adults. Check it out!

Lake County’s Involvement in the Underground Railroad
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7:00pm
Hear the stories of local involvement in anti-slavery activities and the Underground Railroad.
(In person/online)

African Folktales: Presented by Bright Star Theatre
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 5:30pm – All Ages
Bring your family to this exciting stage production inspired by the folktale traditions of Africa. (In person)

Black History Month at Local Museums

Profiles in Excellence Untold Stories: Celebrating Local African American History and Legacy
Sunday, Feb. 2, 3:00-5:00pm
Greenbelt Cultural Center, North Chicago, IL
This year’s event will shine a light on the untold stories of Lake County’s first African American citizens, exploring the importance of tracing roots and preserving legacies. Our guest speaker, author James Ciccone, brings history to life through his work in historical fiction, featuring Black characters whose challenges are often overlooked. Free! No registration required.

Poetry with Sharon D. Epps
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 10:00am
CLC Lakeshore Campus Welcome Center

The African American Museum at the England Manor
504 North Genesee St. Waukegan, IL
The museum features exhibits and artifacts that chronicle the various stages of the African American experience. There are rooms dedicated to Africa and the slave trade, the Underground Railroad, 40 acres and a mule, the Great Migration, and African American culture and experiences in the present day.

The DuSable Black History Museum & Education Center
740 East 56th Place, Chicago, IL
DuSable is open Wednesday-Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm. The museum is also free for Illinois Public School students, with valid ID to display upon entry.