Black History Month Marks 100th Anniversary
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
February 3, 2026
Black History Month initially started as Negro History Week, an initiative started by Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).
Black History Month has its own monumental achievement to celebrate.
The month-long recognition of Black achievement will celebrate 100 years of its existence this year. Its official start date goes back to 1926, when Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week.
According to Fox32, the week was a nationwide initiative for Black Americans to learn more about their own history. Woodson, the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), sought to emphasize their importance and contribution to America’s advancement.
“In 1925, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson planned the inaugural week-long observance of Black history, he could hardly have anticipated the imprint he would leave on the world,” reads the ASALH’s website. “From Negro History Week to Black History Month, ASALH has carried forth the tradition, and the observances have become part of the warp and woof of American culture and increasingly the global community.”
Woodson chose February due to the birthdays of two figures whose work aided the Black community, President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The week did not expand into a month until 1976, alongside a name change from “Negro history” to “Black history.”
Since its origins, the month has expanded into a celebration across the diaspora. Now, with recognition on an international scale, communities everywhere are honoring their anniversary during its ongoing celebration.
This year, the theme for this month-long celebration is “A century of Black History Commemorations.” Especially at a time when the teaching of diverse histories lies in jeopardy under current leadership, this milestone remains pivotal to highlight amid these cultural shifts.
“For our 100th theme, the founders of Black History Month urge us to explore the impact and meaning of Black history and life commemorations in transforming the status of Black peoples in the modern world,” according to the ASALH.
Under the legacy of its founder, the ASALH began its festivities with a call-to-action event. Conducted Feb. 1, its speaker engagement included renowned panelists from critical race theory scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw to Congressional Black Caucus Foundation President, Nicole Austin Hillery.
“2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Commemorations, first launched by Dr. Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week. We are at a critical moment where we must decide in the spirit of Dr. King, where America is moving toward chaos or community, and we must decide what we are willing to do to turn the tide,” detailed the event description.
In unity with other events occurring nationwide, the ASALH will highlight the monumental achievement with its annual luncheon and additional programming for the quest toward justice, equality, and freedom.
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