6 Ways to Honor Black History Month

February is Black History Month — a time to celebrate the extraordinary contributions and achievements of Black communities. From science to music, the arts, and fashion — this month is dedicated to highlighting Black American history beyond the stories of racism and slavery.

We honor and celebrate Black Americans who shaped our nation’s history by supporting, discussing, and acknowledging the totality of the Black experience in America. Here are six ways you can honor and celebrate Black History Month — today, and every day.

Support Black-Owned Businesses

The biggest impact you can make within the Black community is to shop and patronize Black-owned businesses. We’ve put together a list of organizations that make it easy to find and support Black-owned businesses online.

• 15 Percent Pledge. The Fifteen Percent Pledge is a call to action for retailers and corporations to create a sustainable and supportive ecosystem by allocating 15% of their shelf spaces to Black-owned business products.
• Black Business Green Book. The BIG list of Black-owned Businesses covering products, goods, and a multitude of services throughout the U.S.
• Official Black Wall Street. The largest digital platform and app, connecting consumers to Black-owned businesses.
• We Buy Black. The "Shopify" of Black-owned business products. If you need it (or just want it) find it here.

Donate and Support Non-Profits That Promote Diversity

Donate to charities supporting Black Americans in your own community. Or, volunteer with nearby organizations, like youth and teen centers, after school tutoring, eldercare programs, or at a food bank. Be the change. Here are some worthy diversity-supporting U.S.-based organizations:

• Black Girls Code. Black girls are changing the face of technology all over the world. By 2040, BCG will train over one million Black girls to lead, innovate, and excel in math, science, engineering, and technology.
• Common Ground Foundation. The CGF provides after school programs and safe community spaces for at-risk youth in Southern California.
• NAACP. NAACP is the largest, and most influential civil rights organization in the U.S., working towards advancing political, educational, social, and economic equality for Black people.
• National Urban League. NUL Fighting for a world where opportunity isn't limited by race, income, gender, age, orientation, or zip code

Elevate Black Talent

Whether you’re a business owner, an educator, or simply an individual who cares, we can all work towards elevating Black talent within our workplaces, classrooms, and communities. How? Become a mentor, seek out diversity in your workforce, or simply make space for Black talent to emerge. This is the year to make a deliberate commitment to creating a diverse and inclusionary culture.

Read Black Authors and About Black History

Books by Black authors offer insights into worlds that may differ from our own, provide knowledge, and promote a better understanding among us. Take time this Black History Month to gain a broader understanding of the Black experience in America through reading. Here's a few recommendations for your night stand:

• Ta-Nehisi Coates. Award-winning journalist and author, Ta-Nehisi Coates is the recipient of the National Book Award and MacArthur Fellowship for his novels “Between the World and Me,” and “The Water Dancer.” He also wrote Marvel’s “Black Panther” series and the "Captain America" comic series for several years.
• Born In Slavery. Gathered in the 1930s as part of the Federal Writer’s Project, “Born in Slavery” is a collection of over 2,300 first-person accounts, and photos, from enslaved people. A 17-volume series: “Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves” was recently added to the Library of Congress.
• On Juneteenth. Author Annette Gordon-Reed’s memoir recounts the emancipation of enslaved people on June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas. It also recounts the brutal hardships of self-actualizing Black communities from Reconstruction to Jim Crow.

Watch Black History Documentaries

Watching programs documenting the Black Experience helps broaden our understanding of the often unseen parallel universe of Black Americans. Here are several informative documentaries to consider during Black History Month:

• “Olympic Pride, American Pride.” Dubbed the “black auxiliary” by Adolf Hitler, 18 Black American athletes, including Jesse Owens, defied Nazi Aryan Supremacy to win hearts — and medals — at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics. Their collective bravery and exceptionalism changed how America — and the world — viewed Black Americans.
• “LA 92.” When four white police officers were acquitted of beating Rodney King, the city of Los Angeles erupted in violent protests that lasted for days. This film shines a spotlight on police brutality against communities of color and why this event was another tipping point for civil rights in Black communities.
• “When They See Us.” Exceptional storytelling from director Ava Du Vernay, this documentary is the account of how five black men were wrongly convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park, and their subsequent exoneration after details of the police investigation unravel.

Seek Inspirational Black Voices of the Present

We were uplifted as a nation by the youthful Black poet who stood before us during the presidential inauguration in 2020. Amanda Gorman represents the vanguard of young Black voices and change makers bringing their Black joy – and wisdom – to the forefront of American consciousness. Here is more about her and another noteworthy Black American to learn more about, and from:

• Amanda Gorman. The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, Amanda Gorman captivated a nation with her poem “The Hill We Climb” and encouraging us to “Be the light.” She’s the first-ever Urban Word National Youth Poet Laureate, a program supporting young poets in 60 cities across the U.S.
• Bryan Stevenson. Attorney and human rights advocate, Bryan Stevenson is the founder and director of the Equal Justice Initiative. His TED Talk “We Need to Talk About Injustice” has begun healing conversations regarding race issues in the United States and beyond.

We still have far to travel on the road to equality for all. But, by elevating the voices – and causes – of Black Americans, today, tomorrow, and every day, we hope to get closer as a nation, to a world of inclusivity and acceptance for all.

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