North Charleston to Mark Black History Month Centennial
The city of North Charleston will commemorate the centennial of Black History Month with a community celebration at Bridge View. The event is set to feature food, trivia, art, and various performances. All proceeds from the commemoration will benefit the Movement School.
- The concept of Black History Month originated as "Negro History Week" in 1926, created by historian Carter G. Woodson. Woodson, the son of former slaves, earned a Ph.D. from Harvard and co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 to promote the study of Black history. - The second week of February was initially chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12th) and Frederick Douglass (February 14th). - The celebration expanded from a week to a full month in 1970, with the first Black History Month being celebrated at Kent State University. - In 1976, during the nation's bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, urging Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans." - The beneficiary of the event, The Movement School, is a network of tuition-free public charter schools. The specific location of the celebration, Bridge View, is home to the Movement School's Bridge View Elementary campus in North Charleston.
