In recognition and support of Black History Month, which is from February 1st to March 1st, I thought it would be helpful to provide some background on the month and some celebrations/resources you can explore to learn more.

AMSN remains committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and has begun work on an educational program addressing DEI in health care and the work environment. We are forming a steering committee and a task force to address how AMSN will move forward as an organization. There is much more to come.

Did you know:

• Black history month is celebrated in February, which was chosen to correspond with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass, who escaped from slavery to become an outspoken abolitionist, and Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery.
• It began in 1926 as a week to highlight what students learned about black history in school.
• In 1976, President Ford expanded ‘Negro History Week’ to ‘Black History Month’.
• Negro History Week was started by Carter G. Woodson, who was the son of slaves and the second black person to earn a PhD at Harvard. He was a historian and author.
• February 1st is National Freedom Day. It’s the anniversary of the approval of the 13th amendment to the constitution, which abolished slavery in 1865.
• National Freedom Day is not a national holiday.
• The theme of 2021’s Black History Month is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”.

Black History Month Celebrations/Resources:

• The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is offering digital programming for the month of February. Learn more: Book Discussion With Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain Kicks Off Black History Month Programming at the National Museum of African American History and Culture | National Museum of African American History and Culture
• The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is offering a virtual Black History Month festival on their YouTube channel: ASALH - The Founders of Black History Month | Black History Month Virtual Festival
• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) offers suggestions for organizational action during MLK day and Black History Month. You can see them here: NAACP | What Brands Can Do for MLK Day and Black History Month
• You can visit the Black History 101 Mobile Museum here: Black History 101 Mobile Museum.
• Blackpast is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing reliable and accurate information about the history of African America and people of African heritage around the world. Learn more.