Ultimate guide to black history month activities for kids (and even adults!). We have black history facts, black history people and heroes, quotes, black history month science activities, lesson plans, printables and more!
Whether you’re looking for black history month activities for preschool, black history month classroom activities, or black history month activities for adults, we have something for everyone in this list!
When Is Black History Month?
Black History Month Dates: Saturday, February 1, 2020 – Saturday, February 29, 2020
Before we get to the black history month activities, let’s take a look at black history month facts…
What Is Black History Month and Why Is It Celebrated?
About Black History Month
Black history month is in February.
It starts on February 1st and runs the entire month until the end of February.
But, you don’t need to wait for the designated month to add amazing black history month school activities and teach your kids about black history.
There are so many great black history heroes and black history month topics to study starting TODAY — even if it isn’t February!
Before we get to the black history resources and black history month printable activities, let’s take a look at some black history facts and how the month came about.
Which is correct: Black History Month or African American History Month?
According to the Library of Congress, the designation of Public Law No. 99-244, 100 Stat. 6 (Feb. 11, 1986) is “To provide for the designation of the month of February, 1986 as National Black (Afro-American) History Month.” So, by designation it is National Black History Month. However, you will also hear it called African-American History Month.
Black History Month Facts
Who came up with Black History Month?
- Black History Month (initially just a week long) was created in 1926 by the Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.
- It was created to spotlight the contributions of black people throughout history.
- The week was initially called “Negro History Week” and was initially celebrated the second week in February because it was the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced African-American history: Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
- The week was later expanded to Black History Month in 1976.
- Founder and Harvard scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson was disturbed by the lack of African-Americans documented in American history, so he created the Journal of Negro History.
- Black History Month is also called African American History Month.
- The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture honors the contributions of African Americans.
[source]
Black History Month [VIDEOS]
Watch: The History of Black History video to better understand black history figures, people, and facts.
Black History Month Quotes
Need some inspiration?
Here are black history month quotes for students that will provide inspiration for your learning!
- “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.” -Frederick Douglass
- “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” -Dr. Mae Jemison, first African-American female astronaut
- “Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” -Coretta Scott King
- “The time is always right to do what is right.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” –Booker T. Washington
- “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise.” -Maya Angelou
Famous African American Poems [VIDEO]
Incorport famous African American poems into your learning by watching a video of Maya Angelou deliver her poem, Still I Rise.
37 Black History Month Activities, Ideas, and Lessons
Check out these fantastic black history month activities, printables, theme ideas and more!
There are enough different ideas here that you can fill the entire month of February with black history lessons!
Black History Month Activities for Kids #1: Study Black History Inventors, Black History Figures, and Black History People and Heroes
One of the best ways to incorporate black history month into your studies is to first start with reading books about important black figures and black leaders in history (and even some black superheroes)!
Here are some of our favorite black history books for kids:
Black History Month Activities for Kids #2: Watch Black History Month Movies and Documentaries
Don’t discount watching movies and documentaries to supplement your black history studies.
Check out these black history documentaries, shows, and black history movies:
- African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
- Freedom Riders (Show #8)
- A History Of Black Achievement In America
- Slavery By Another Name
- Eyes on The Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years 1954-1965
- Ultimate Black History Month Documentary DVD Collection: The Black List 1 & 2 / Black America Since MLK – And Still I Rise / Yes We Can – The Barack Obama Story / When the Checks Stop Coming In
Black History Month Activities for Kids #3: Host Black History Month Events
Gather your group of homeschool friends, the homeschool co-op, the church youth group, etc. and host black history events!
Here are some ideas:
- Do a study unit on Africa, have a Mancala (the African counting game) tournament, and then round out the unit with an African or African-American food inspired pitch-in dinner.
- Read relevant black history book (or watch a movie) and hold a book or movie discussion. If you have an older group of kids (middle school, high school or even college or adults), try The Hate U Give.
- Host a music festival where you learn about the history of blues music, listen to blues music, and learn about 12-Bar Blues. Also, learn about (and listen to) the importance of music in slavery.
Black History Month Activities for Kids #4: Do a Black History Timeline Project
Check out this black history timeline and recreate a timeline of African American history facts:
- Each person can focus on 10 black history events that interests them.
- Design a timeline and then illustrate the timeline.
- At the end of the event, each kid can explain their timeline and why they chose those events.
(We keep a roll of art paper for projects like this!)
Black History Month Activities for Kids #5: Complete Theme Lessons Based Around Black History
Here are free black history resources for lessons, activities, printables and more so that you can compile theme lessons on this topic.
African American History Museum
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is an interesting place to start.
On the site you can explore different African American cultural exhibits, take a virtual field trip, as well as read about stories and contributions of African Americans throughout history.
The J. Paul Getty Museum
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
The J. Paul Getty Museum website has an amazing “Resources for the Classroom” section.
There are complete lesson plans including art, science, history, ESL, women in history, and so much more that you may find helpful for black history.
The downloads are free, but there are links to resources you can purchase in the online store to enhance the learning.
Library of Congress
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
The Library of Congress has a great selection of teacher, classroom and student lessons, eBooks and information on a variety of topics related to historical happenings in the United States, including black history.
You can also sort the information by Common Core standards, state regulations, and by organizations.
National Archives
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
The National Archives has an extensive collection for African American history studies.
The archives include information for Black history month including:
- Video resources
- Blog posts
- Documents
- Online exhibits
- Lesson plans
- Records
- Additional resources and chronological topics on black history
Federal Registry for Educational Excellence
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
The Federal Registry for Educational Excellence was a website from the federal government that listed 2,000 learning resources and new sites were added regularly.
The portal was retired in 2015, but it still has some pages available.
There is a great page for Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights, as well as activities.
National Park Service
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
Who would’ve thought you can find lesson plans from the National Park Service, right?
However, they have amazing lesson plans and information called “Teaching with Historic Places” that is centered around teaching about history, events, and people from the standpoint of the location.
For example, check out Discover Colonel Young’s Protest Ride for Equality and Country: A Lightning Lesson from Teaching with Historic Places, featuring the historic Colonel Charles Young House.
It will fit perfectly with your black history studies.
Also check out the Civil Rights and Racial Healing Feature.
Pretty cool!
ScienceNetLinks
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
We even have black history month science activities!
ScienceNetLinks.com has a ton of resources for Science-based learning on anatomy, environment, math, chemistry, engineering, technology and so much more.
There are even lessons on science-based careers.
Don’t miss the entire section on black history that includes a ton of different resources and information!
National Gallery of Art
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
From the National Gallery of Art, each lesson plan focuses on one piece of art.
Lesson plans can cover shape, form, texture, color, and more.
They also have audio and video prompts and information.
Don’t miss the section on Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People.
The documentary “investigates black portrait photographers and artists who have profoundly reshaped the image of contemporary and historic African Americans, and continue to do so.”
Great art additions for black history learning!
Smithsonian Heritage Resources
Ages: Kindergarten – High School
From the Smithsonian Institute, you have access to a wealth of information on heritage, culture, and background, including black history, women’s history, Asian Pacific heritage, Native American heritage, Hispanic heritage.
It’s another portal that I felt like I could get lost in (in a totally good way).
Once you access a heritage area, you are given lists of additional information from other Smithsonian sites.
Good stuff!
