City of Wayne officials recently reinforced their appreciation for Black History Month celebrated each February.
In an official media posting on the city administration Facebook page, officials noted that every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month.
In 1915, in response to the lack of information on the accomplishments of Black people available to the public, historian Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926, the group declared the second week of February as “Negro History Week” to recognize the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. Few people studied Black history and it wasn't included in textbooks prior to the creation of Negro History Week, the post stated.
This week was chosen because it includes the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist, who wanted to end the practice of enslaving people, and former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln led the United States during the Civil War, which was primarily fought over the enslavement of Black people in the country. Many schools and leaders began recognizing the week after its creation, the post reminded residents.
The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States every February since, according to the post which reinforced the celebration of the month in the City of Wayne.
