Black History Month was founded initially by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as Negro History Week, which emanated from the existing birthday celebrations of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass by Black communities on February 12th and 14th respectively. A month of remembrance by Black Student Union organizers at Kent State University in 1969 began this now time-honored tradition. Although it was not officially recognized by the U.S. government until 1976, Black History Month has and continues to be an expression of Black autonomy and a claim to the right of self-determination.
