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Informed & Inspired

It’s Black History Month!

"During Black History Month, we recognize and celebrate the many achievements and contributions made by African Americans ... The observance of Black History Month calls our country's attention to the continued need to battle systemic racism and build a society that lives up to its democratic ideals." City of Des Moines Black History Month proclamation

Why is Black History Month important?

Last month you might have read about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement. If so, then you know that all Americans haven’t always been treated equally or fairly

It's really important to remember the mistakes of the past so that we don't repeat them, and it's also really important to honor the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement and other Black Americans who have overcome challenges and fought against discrimination to achieve their dreams. We can celebrate Black History Month by learning about the struggles that Black individuals have faced and by continuing to speak out against societal and personal discrimination.

Keep reading to learn more about discrimination and Black history.

Talk about it!

Many people fought against this system of discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and they were able to make some big changes to give all people more equal chances to succeed, no matter the color of their skin.

Our country has a history of treating people differently depending on the color of their skin. For many years there were laws in place that kept Black Americans from having the same opportunities as white Americans. This is called discrimination. discrimination the treating of some people better than others without any fair or proper reason (from the Britannica Kids Dictionary). Besides being treated differently because of the color of their skin, Black Americans have also often been misrepresented in news coverage and in accounts of events throughout American history Because of this bias, Black Americans and their accomplishments were often either left out of the story, or credit was given to others.

bias

an attitude that always favors one way of feeling or acting over any other; prejudice

(from the Britannica Kids Dictionary).

That’s why it’s so important to bring attention to the successes and contributions of Black Americans during Black History Month, and why we should be talking about them all year long! Watch the video below to learn more about why we celebrate Black History Month

Watch this video with an adult. Why is it important to celebrate Black History Month?

Some of the kids in the video talk about discrimination. What does that mean, and how does it affect their daily lives?

Learn more about Black history!

People in England also celebrate Black History Month!

Talk about it!

(questions inspired by the videos above and from PBS Kids)

In 1915, Dr. Carter G. Woodson noticed that schools weren’t teaching about Black history. Why do you think schools were leaving the stories of Black Americans out of history lessons?

Watch this video to learn about why we celebrate Black History Month.

What makes someone a hero? Who are some Black heroes that you’ve learned about?

Can your grownup tell you about some challenges faced by Black Americans? Do these challenges still exist today?

Why should we talk about Black history all year long?

What is a role model? What Black role models helped to make the world a better place? How can you be a role model at school or in your neighborhood?

Read about Black History Month on the National Geographic Kids web page!

Learn about Black History Month with Sesame Street friends!

Read about it!

There are plenty of books in the library about the challenges and achievements of Black Americans. Here are just a few. Click on the picture to see the book in our online catalog. If it sounds interesting, you can put it on hold and check it out!