28 Shades of Black History

Whether you’re giving yourself a 28-day challenge or just looking for creative ways to celebrate Black History Month, here are some ideas:

  1. Listen to legendary black artists. Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston are not only some of music’s biggest names, they made music history by being amazing anomalies. Their songs also send out valuable, timeless messages.
  2. Go to a local Black History Celebration. See if there is a local Black History event in your town. Are there any local black theatre events going on?
  3. Black History flashcards! Whether you are playing these as a game or just for a quick educational read, black history flash cards serve as a tool for gaining valuable knowledge about famous black people, events, and symbols.
  4. Watch some historical black films. Here are some great films to focus on: Selma, Malcolm X, and 13th on Netflix.
  5. Consider your interests and passions. Is there a black historical figure that you can relate to? Try reading up on them! For example, if you’re into politics, there’s Angela Davis, who is a political activist.
  6. Post historical profiles on social media. Spread the knowledge! If you feel led, share a photo of a black historical figure and caption it with some of their greatest accomplishments and a moving quote. You can do this as a daily challenge!
  7. Post famous inventions and discoveries by black people on social media.
  8. Read some black literature! Try a black history reading Immerse yourself in some classics written by W.E.B DuBois, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, and Zora Neale Hurston. They all can capture black history in a storytelling form.
  9. Try some peanut butter recipes!  Honor George Washington Carver’s groundbreaking production of peanut butter with some foods containing it, such as peanut butter cookies and bars—or you can even make homemade peanut butter yourself!
  10. Find a black history museum. Or a local museum that honors Black History Month. Make a grand visit to the National Museum of African-American History in Washington, D.C.! This museum gives a thorough walk through the timeline of Black History.
  11. Listen to some blues or ragtime music.
  12. Learn about the history of hip-hop music.
  13. Read a poem every day by a famous black poet. Langston Hughes, Rita Dove, and Maya Angelou are phenomenal poets to start with.
  14. Eat some soul food!  Fried chicken, collard greens, yams, biscuits and gravy are only some of the great taste that soul food offers. Soul food was originated in the South and has an enlightening history connected to slavery, but is celebrated as a means of survival and solidarity.
  15. Support a black-owned business, whether it’s a café, magazine, or a restaurant!
  16. Support black creativity. There are so many black musicians, artists, dancers, and writers who are expressing their voices in unique ways. Supporting them now can create even more history for the future!
  17. Support black non-profits. The NAACP, Black Girls Code, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and Incite!: Women of Color Against Violence are some uplifting black non-profits.
  18. Support a new black author.
  19. Eat some sweet potato biscuits. These are known to be a    soul food favorite.
  20. 20. Learn more about Tuskegee University.
  21. Watch The Butler.
  22. Study black art.
  23. Stay aware of the black history that is still being made today!  There are students, musicians, actors, educators, and other ambitious souls that are still overcoming odds and making history in our time.
  24. Watch or read Hidden Figures. This film captures three hidden gems in history who have left their distinctive mark on NASA.
  25. Read a slave narrative. Warning: these can be highly detailed and graphic. But slave narratives offer a rich, first-person perspective of what it’s like to be enslaved.
  26. Read about Mae Jemison, the first black woman to travel in space.
  27. Listen to some jazz and learn some history behind it.
  28. Cherish black history all year round! There are so many hidden black gems and so much history that are overlooked and not included in the books. It’ll take more than one month to really drink in all the good stuff. So, let’s continue to learn!
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