Every February, classrooms across the country revisit familiar names and events for Black History Month. However, Black History Month was never meant to just be a simple review of injustices or strife. From its inception, Black History Month has been an effort to expand the historical narrative and insist that Black life, achievement, creativity and joy are central to American history.
As we mark 100 years since its initial founding, themed “A century of Black history commemorations,” invites us to reflect on why we continue the tradition of celebrating the history of Black Americans all year.
Black History Month traces back to 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History launched “Negro History Week.” Woodson observed that Black contributions were overlooked and often excluded from school curricula. What began as a week gained national momentum, culminating in President Gerald Ford expanding it into a full month and giving it federal recognition in February 1976.
Black Student Union Executive Board member Alexa Grant (‘26) said the month is important to her because it highlights the influence Black people have on U.S. culture.
“Black History Month means learning more about how Black history has shaped the current world that we live in,” Grant said. “It’s celebrating voices that we have today, and then celebrating how diverse the community is and how much we can bring to the cultural and political climate.”
The purpose of this observance extends beyond documenting oppression. While any study of African American history must confront slavery, segregation and systemic racism, it must also emphasize several other factors: innovation, artistry, leadership and celebration, among others.
That work feels especially urgent in a time when access to accurate history and literature is being challenged.
According to PEN America, there were 6,870 instances of book bans across 23 states and 87 public school districts in the 2024-25 school year. Often, books that are written by Black authors — or about Black history — are targeted.
“Banning ‘Dear Martin’ by Nic Stone will never satisfy book banners because there will be more stories about the experiences of Black people in the U.S. and of the impact of racism on the lives of young people,” according to PEN America. “It’s not about the censorship of any one book — it’s about total control of the story.”
At Archer, student leaders have shaped this year’s Black History Month programming. Our BSU has approached Black History Month with a specific focus on community engagement. Earlier this month, BSU hosted Black History trivia during Community and Connections meetings for both middle and upper school students at the beginning of February. Through interactive questions, students explored topics ranging from Black pioneers in sports and politics to entertainment.
The spirit of celebration continued with BSU’s annual Taste of Soul Tuesday, Feb. 3, an event where BSU members share food with the Archer community from across the Black Diaspora. The event included dishes such as festival bread, collard greens, beignets and more. Grant said this is her favorite Black History Month event because each participant gets to share their family’s culture with the Archer community.
“It’s just really lovely to see — I enjoy it the most because I think it really helps Archer expand their taste palete into what it means to be Black, and what that looks like reflected in soul food,” Grant said. “Food has a lot of history for connection in the Black community, and there are obviously a lot of stereotypes about what we eat and what we make, but being able to share what it means to us and how delicious it is is very impactful.”
BSU also curated screenings of “Lean on Me” and “School Daze” Tuesday, Feb. 8, and Wednesday, Feb. 9, respectively, and will host a Black Arts festival Wednesday, March 4.
Black History Month was never intended to confine Black history to 28 days. Instead, it serves as a reminder that Black history is American history, and we should embrace the intention of Black History Month long after February ends.
