A Unique Time to Celebrate Black History Month

As Barack Obama becomes the first African American in history to serve as President of the U.S., it's appropriate to learn more about other African American pioneers and leaders who helped to make this possible.

This event is what makes Black History Month so special this year. Black History Month evolved from the efforts of Carter Godwin Woodson, who created the first celebration of Negro History Week in 1926. He selected February because both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, champions of the struggle for African American equality, were born in that month.

This important annual observance of the struggle for civil and human rights of African Americans provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to integrate research activities--so students learn more about people and topics that may not be a traditional part of textbooks and the curriculum in most schools.

African Americans, unlike other American ethnic groups, are unique because they were brought to America against their will, and as slaves, without a path to citizenship.

Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King helped significantly change that as well as thousands of other less-known African Americans whose lives and works we remember during annual Black History Month celebrations.

Click the Subject Heading option > Type "African Americans, history" in the Search box

Assign a report of about 100 words or a two-minute oral/PowerPoint presentation. Students should use at least three resources for their reports. Students should address the following examples of essential questions for critical thinking (you can substitute or add others):

• Which African American do you consider contributed the most in the struggle for equality and why?
• Who are three others who deserve credit for creating a positive change in attitude toward African Americans and why?
• What is the most important change strategy that can help continue the gains being made by African Americans and why?

Use our custom ProQuest models for written and PowerPoint-style reports.

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