The Feel-Good Guide to Sports, Travel, Shopping & Entertainment

MAIN Home Life Holidays & Observances Black History Month

The theme for Black History Month 2019 follows "Black Migrations" honoring African Americans in motion -- as they moved from the farm to the cities, and from poverty to the national stage in business, politics, literature and the arts. .

Each year beginning on February 1, an entire month of events are planned nationwide honoring the contributions of African Americans.

The theme for Black History Month in 2019 is "Black Migrations" tracking the continuous movement of blacks from the American South to the industrialized North and beyond.

Beginning in the early 20th century, a growing number of black industrial leaders and black entrepreneurs emerged as families relocated from farms to cities, and from the South to the more industrialized Northeast and Midwest.

Along with the emergence of new music genres -- like ragtime, blues, and jazz -- the Harlem Renaissance in New York Citry also signaled a blossoming of the visual and literary arts.

Well into the century, blacks continued to break the color barrier in sports, business and politics, and have recently challenged the traditional bastions of wealth and power to gain popular support at the local, state, and national level.

Black migrations into the 21st century

Today, black migrations are worldwide. In fact, an influx of black immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa are more likely to become citizens or to be proficient English speakers when compared to other immigrant groups.

Ironically, African-American millenials have reversed the historic trend in recent years with an uptick in black populations looking for jobs and cheaper housing in Atlanta and Houston. The sudden shift is not lost on economist and historians, who now see the North-South migration coming full circle.

All about Black History Month

Black History Month first originated as part of an initiative by writer and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who launched Negro History Week in 1926. Woodson proclaimed that Negro History Week should always occur in the second week of February — between the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Since 1976, every American president has proclaimed February as Black History Month. Today, other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom also devote an entire month to celebrating black history.

The Web is a great place to find out more about that history — in poetry, literature, the arts, sciences, sports and entertainment — making Black History Month a time of fun, celebration, and learning.

also see in Holidays -> Kwanzaa

Top 20 Quotes for Black History Month

Words of inspiration, wisdom and wit from some of the most well known African American authors, poets, sports and political figures combine an outpouring of pride with hope and anger in expressions that capture the spirit of black history ....

How James Earl Jones Turned Fear Into Fame

Perhaps you know James Earl Jones as the voice of Star War’s Darth Vader or as Mufasa in the Lion King. He has been laden with Tony, Emmy and Obie Awards. People look at him today and see a confident actor with a deep, resonant voice. The next time you see him, look deeper ....

More about black history around the Web:

ipl2 - Black History Month - Check out a major starting point for exploring black history and culture on the Net with related links to museums, movies and theater, noted black women, Martin Luther King Day, the Amistad Revolt, general histories, timelines, and lots more.

History Channel - Black History Month - Great coverage with the complete TV schedule as well as online biographies, great speeches, video clips, Web exclusives, related resources.