By Ricki Walters, Regional Diversity Trainer/Investigator 
February is African American/Black History Month. It’s a time to commemorate the many significant contributions African Americans have made to our country. African Americans have participated fully in this country’s development since colonial days, but often, their contributions were not included in our history books.
Dr. Carter Woodson, a Harvard scholar and son of former slaves, introduced Negro History Week on February 19, 1926. He chose the second week of February because the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln are observed then. His hope was that the important contributions of black Americans to our history would be recognized. He dedicated his life to this idea.
In 1976, Negro History Week was expanded into Black History Month. Today, it is celebrated in communities across the country with programs and activities that recall and honor the history and accomplishments of African Americans.
You can find more information about Black History Month and distinguished African Americans at: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhm1.html or http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/.
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