100 Years of Black History Month
2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, and that is something worth celebrating. What began as a weeklong observance has grown into a global, monthlong recognition of Black leadership, culture, scholarship, and contribution. Over the past century, Black History Month has evolved alongside the nation itself, expanding its reach while staying rooted in its original purpose: to ensure Black history is taught, remembered, and respected.
There is a lot to know about Black History Month, and in this article, we are answering the big questions. Who started Black History Month? What was its original purpose? And yes, why is it celebrated during the shortest month of the year? (Trust me, there’s a very good reason.)
At HBCU Leggings, we believe in knowing the why behind the tradition. So let’s take a closer look at 100 years of Black History Month.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915 via Wikipedia
Who Started Black History Month?
Black History Month exists because of the work and vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
Dr. Woodson was a historian, educator, and scholar who understood the power of historical record. He was the second Black person to earn a PhD from Harvard University, following W.E.B. Du Bois, an extraordinary accomplishment during an era when educational access for Black Americans was severely restricted. As the son of formerly enslaved parents, Woodson understood something deeply personal and profoundly political: when people are denied knowledge of their past, their humanity is diminished.
Woodson wrote, “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” For him, preserving Black history required intention, structure, and persistance.
In 1926, he launched Negro History Week, but deciding when to hold it mattered just as much as why. Dr. Woodson decided placing it in February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two figures closely associated with Black freedom and liberation in the United States, was the best way to root it in collective memory.
Negro History Week marked the beginning of a national shift.
Gerald Ford was the first president to recognize Black History Month in 1976 via Library of Congress
What Is Black History Month? Then and Now
From the very beginning, Negro History Week was designed as a tool for education, not a ceremonial gesture. Woodson’s goal focused on integration and enrichment. He envisioned Black history as an essential part of American history, taught year-round in schools, discussed in churches, housed in libraries, and embedded into public consciousness.
Educators embraced the framework. Churches expanded programming. Civic organizations built curricula and events around it. By the 1960s, as the Civil Rights Movement reshaped the country, the observance reflected a growing urgency for truth, equity, and representation.
In 1976, during the United States Bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, expanding the observance from one week to the full month of February. The purpose remained intact: to acknowledge Black contributions and ensure they were no longer excluded from the historical narrative of the United States of America.
Elise Neal on Netflix Strong Black Legends Podcast via Netflix
Why Black History Month Still Matters
One hundred years later, Black History Month continues to matter because history shapes identity, culture, and creates opportunities for a historically overlooked community.
Today, corporations and brands use Black History Month as a platform to highlight Black achievement, support Black creators, and educate wider audiences. Some campaigns go beyond simple recognition and help raise awareness about Black culture on a global scale. For example, Nike’s “Equality” campaign featured voices like Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant in powerful ads promoting fairness and justice, reaching audiences far beyond traditional sports fans and sparking widespread conversation about race and equality in athletics and society.
Streaming giant Netflix created its Strong Black Lead initiative to spotlight Black storytellers and content across its platform, amplifying movies, series, documentaries, and podcasts that center Black experiences and voices. Spotify’s “Black History Is Now” campaign curated playlists and exclusive content celebrating Black musical influence and cultural contributions across genres, making Black cultural heritage part of global listening habits every day, not just in February.
Brands like Procter & Gamble and Adobe host internal and external programs during Black History Month that include employee education, awareness events, and partnerships with Black media companies and creative networks, aiming to uplift Black talent and perspective in industries where representation has historically been limited.
Even technology companies like Apple have launched Black History Month collections and curated media, including themed watch bands, playlists, books, and educational guides, creating spaces for audiences around the world to engage with Black history and culture more intentionally.
These corporate efforts matter because they help introduce Black history and cultural contribution to people who might not encounter these stories otherwise. When brands invest in education, representation, and amplification, they help expand the reach of Black history as a global conversation. That broader awareness supports inclusion, elevates Black voices, and pushes the culture toward greater understanding and equity.
Martin Luther King Jr. at Morehouse College, 1948 via Morehouse.edu
What Connects Black History Month and HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities stand at the center of Black History Month’s mission.
HBCUs were founded to address denied access to education, but they quickly became something more. They preserved intellectual freedom, cultural heritage, and academic excellence when other institutions refused to do so. Long before Black History Month received national recognition, HBCUs were already safeguarding Black scholarship and producing leaders across every field.
Black history lives on HBCU campuses every day. It shows up in classrooms, research labs, marching bands, alumni networks, student activism, and institutional traditions. HBCUs do not simply teach Black history. They create it.
This connection explains why Black History Month resonates so strongly within HBCU communities. It reflects lived experience, institutional memory, and ongoing impact.
100 Years In, With Purpose
As the world marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month in 2026, let’s take a moment to reflect and recommit. This milestone represents intention, and the power of collective memory.
Black history strengthens our understanding of the past and informs how we move forward. HBCUs remain essential to that work, preserving legacy while preparing future generations to lead with knowledge, clarity, and purpose.
At HBCU Leggings, we believe celebrating Black history means supporting the institutions that protect it. Because Black history is American history. And HBCUs continue to prove that truth every day.
Make the choice to stand in the power of your Black History this year by shopping your school at HBCULeggings.com
Love and Leggings,
Bibi
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bibi Mama is a first generation Beninese-American actress born and raised in Mansfield, CT. Growing up she watched her father, an English professor and author, continue the Yoruba oral tradition through storytelling, which inspired her. She earned her B.F.A. from Howard University and recently finished her MFA at the Old Globe/University of San Diego MFA Graduate Acting Program.