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Black History Month

Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history (Click HERE for more.)

The celebration of Black History Month in District 105 consists of a variety of different activities at the school and classroom levels. Many teachers have designed research projects focusing on the study of influential African Americans and/or the Civil Rights Movement. School websites have included links to additional information on African American history, and district libraries support the research process by providing materials such as biographies and autobiographies for students to read. District-wide, our fifth grade and 8th grade social studies curriculum focuses on American History. Each year, our entire fifth grade visits Naper Settlement to further their study of the Underground Railroad. In other classrooms in the district, as a study of the Civil Rights Movement, students have read novels written by African American authors such as The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 and One Crazy Summer.

One outstanding site that offers a wealth of information on African American history and has been a support to our teachers is HERE. This site offers videos, images, readings, primary resources, and many activities that could prompt great discussions at home. We encourage you to visit this comprehensive site with your child!