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Carter G. Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week in 1926 because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln . Later on in 1976 , as the nation reached its Bicentennial , the week was expanded into an entire month. However, February has much more than Douglass and Lincoln to show for its significance in black American history. For example:
History books had barely started covering black history when the tradition of Black History Month was started. At that point, most representation of blacks in history books was only in reference to the low social position they held, with the exception of George Washington Carver . Black History Month can also be referred to as African-American History Month, or African Heritage Month. In the United Kingdom (UK), Black History Month is celebrated in the month of October . The official guide to Black History Month in the UK {Link without Title} is published by Sugar Media, Ltd., who produce 100,000 copies nationwide. Black History Month exposes the harms of racial prejudice and cultivates black self-esteem following centuries of socio-economic oppression . It is an opportunity to recognize the significant contributions people with African heritage have made and continue to make in such areas as education, sports, medicine, art, culture, public services, economic development, politics and human rights. CRITICISM Black History Month sparks an annual debate about the continued usefulness of a designated month dedicated to the history of one skin colour. Critical '' {Link without Title} . Many black radical/nationalist groups, including the Nation Of Islam , have criticized Black History Month. On the December 18 , 2005 episode of '' 60 Minutes '', actor Morgan Freeman criticized Black History Month as inadequate. "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." Freeman believes that Racism will persist as long as individuals continue to identify themselves by their skin color. Woodson, creator of Negro History Week, hoped that the week would eventually be eliminated, when African-American history would be fully integrated with American history. EXTERNAL LINKS
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