Each February, America recognizes Black History Month. Keep reading to learn ten interesting facts about this national month of recognition.

• Since 1976, the American president has endorsed a specific theme for that year’s Black History Month.
• The theme for 2022 is “Black Health and Wellness,” which explores Black scholars, medical practitioners, and other ways of providing medical care (such as via midwives and herbalists).
• Black History Month is held during February partly because the month contains the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
• Black History Month was created by Carter G. Woodson, also known as “the father of Black history.”
• Woodson’s goal was to “make the celebration of Black history in the field of history a ‘serious area of study,'” according to Albert Broussard, a professor of Afro-American history at Texas A&M University.
• President Gerald R. Ford was the first president to officially recognize Black History Month, which he did in 1976.
• Canada also commemorates Black History Month in February.
• The United Kingdom and Ireland both celebrate Black History Month in October.
• Kent State was one of the first colleges to recognize Black History Month.
• Black History Month was previously known as “Negro History Week;” however, thanks to the civil rights movement, it began evolving into Black History Month in the 1960s.

Find more information regarding the history of Black History Month via these articles from The History Channel and NPR.