black history presentation for church

Why Celebrate Black History in Church?

Leon rodrigues, director for diversity, equity, and inclusion at luther seminary, explains why black history is an integral part of our shared american history, worthy of being celebrated..

By Leon A. Rodrigues

Over the years, many of my students have told me that they choose not attend Black History Month events because they feel it is designed for African Americans to celebrate “their own history.” I consistently respond that the history of African Americans is American history and therefore is our shared history.

To those who believe that Black history is to be celebrated only by African Americans, I raise two key objections. First, African Americans are not the only Black people in U.S. society. There are numerous groups of Africans, Jamaicans, Haitians, Dominicans, Brazilians and others residing in the United States who are regarded as Black and who share a legacy of racial oppression. I, for one, was raised in South Africa and I regard my personal history, and that of my country, as Black history.

Second, I often ask those who would diminish Black history: What about the White presence in Black history? All of us are actors in history. If Black people could contribute to the American economy even though they were deprived of opportunities and suffered the worst circumstances under severe discrimination, what was the role of those who were not Black and thus not subjected to this kind of systematic oppression? Certainly there were Whites who have advocated for human rights and an end to unfair practices that target African Americans (abolitionists, Underground Railroad participants, for example). An integral part of understanding Black history is asking the question: In what ways have Whites either remained quiet recipients of privilege or spoken up when they witnessed injustice?

The way I see it, the experience of Africans, African Americans, and other Blacks in the United States has been largely overlooked, vilified, downplayed, or relegated to a kind of victimhood—and none of these approaches do justice to the lived experiences of Blacks. The mainstream media makes sparse mention of Black history unless to tokenize it and the topic is not often taught in our primary, secondary, or college texts. As a result, White people, and sometimes even Black people, lack knowledge of Black history; nor do they know how to fill in these gaps in the nation’s historical narrative.

Black history can be an invitation for all of us to celebrate American progress and should fill all communities in this country with pride and joy—not just African Americans. The spirit in which African Americans have contributed—including leadership of the Civil Rights Movement—led to anti-discrimination legislation and human rights for all Americans. Moreover, the Civil Rights movement heightened citizen participation that, I would say, led to a strengthened democracy.

Why, you might ask, was February designated as Black History Month in the first place? African-American students in my class have often expressed frustration and respond that during other months the history of their ancestors is nonexistent. This is why Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an author, historian, journalist and founder of the journal of Negro History , launched the first Negro History Week in February 1926.

Dr. Woodson was the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University (W.E.B. Du Bois was the first), is known as the father of Black history. He wanted to see the teaching of the history of Black Americans in the nation’s public schools, particularly to African American children. Negro History Week later became known nationally recognized as Black History Month in the mid-1970s.

As a result of these and other efforts, many are now aware of the African (American) contribution to the wealth in this nation as well as numerous scientific, cultural, and literary contributions that all Americans benefit from today. And, African Americans continue to make remarkable contributions in every sector of American life through economic progress, culture, religion, and the arts. This needs to be celebrated—and not just in February.

Black history also includes the spiritual awakening led by the Black church in this country. It is the Black church that spoke out and led the movement that fought against Southern brutality and oppression of Black people. It is the Black church that brought American Christianity to reflect on its sinful condition—supporting racial segregation and the brutal treatment of African Americans—and the Black church that invited other Christians to wrestle with this brokenness within the body of Christ.

Some of my students tell me that they feel ashamed when encountering Black history. This goes both ways. It is difficult to learn about how your ancestors were brutalized and it is also shameful to know that your ancestors were part of the brutalizing or were indifferent. The church needs to lead us in finding ways to overcome this guilt and shame by explicating the sin, confessing, seeking forgiveness and reconciling in our country, just as South Africa participated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Paying attention to Black history is one way to connect in concrete ways with African Americans in your community. African Americans have shown a deep love for country and indomitable spirit that was not broken by enslavement, rejection, or stereotypes. We must celebrate this spirit of freedom if we are to come together as a united church.

February can be a significant time in which we reflect, seek each other’s presence, worship, and express gratitude for our life together. As people of faith active in our communities, we can make compacts to work together for justice—all year long.

Breakthrough Practices:

• Stake the claim in your congregation that Black history is an integral part of our shared American history. Celebrate it. This is a way to acknowledge the incredible efforts of Black brothers and sisters to persist and thrive.
• Show appreciation for how Black people pushed the church to be more compassionate and speak up in the midst of evil practices.
• Support continued efforts for equity and inclusion in your congregation and community. Contemplate and develop acts of confession and reparations for those who have been historically marginalized or denied justice.
• Pray, teach, and preach about the call of the gospel to serve the oppressed, bring hope, and to love justice. Don’t be afraid to ask: Why is this the way it is? How did it come about and, what can do as a church to address these inequities?
• Learn and study more about famous people of African descent in America and all over the world. Encourage children to embrace these role models irrespective of their ethnic heritage or skin color.
• Read authors from other ethnic groups and who hold different perspectives, particularly ones who may have first-hand experience with Black history throughout the world.

About the Author

Leon A. Rodrigues is director for diversity, equity and inclusion at Luther Seminary. He is a passionate educator and advocate for social justice.

Photo by  Jack Sharp  on  Unsplash

Leon A. Rodrigues is the Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Luther Seminary. He is a passionate educator and advocate for social justice.

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7 Ways to Honor Black History Month in our Churches

by Mark Croston | February 3, 2020

We can’t tell the whole numerical narrative with just prime numbers. The alphabet chronicle is incomplete with just the consonants. The most soulful jazz still can’t express the entire musical corpus. As great as the Pauline Letters are, they are insufficient as a Biblical canon to themselves. The Euro-American perspective is vital for all of us, but it cannot tell the whole of the human story.

In the same way, all of our history is incomplete without seeing where it intersects with Black history. It is a portion of all of our history that has been at times forgotten, ignored, overlooked, dismissed, and even misstated. It has been at times eulogized instead of historized. So it is true that we cannot fully know who we are unless we know from whence we have come.

It is not uncommon for me to have to answer someone who questions, “Why do we have to be black and white? We are Christians, why can’t we all just be people?” Or they might say, “Why do we have a Black church, why can’t we all just be church?” Well, I would like to say that even though I have a passion for Soul Food, I still think we need Cheese Pizza, Beef Burritos, Goat Vindaloo, Jerk Pork, Kung Pow Chicken, Shrimp Pad Thai, and Vegetarian Eggplant Moussaka.

Our goal should not be to morph so all churches become exactly alike, but like restaurants, all churches should embrace their own distinctives as they are working to make everyone who comes completely welcome.

Remember, our uniquenesses all tell a part of the human story—to ignore them is to ignore a part of God’s good creation. Revelation 7:9-10 says,

“After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Even when we get to heaven all our ethnic distinctions will be present around the throne. Let’s put this passage on display in every church through intentional and thoughtful Black History celebrations.

Ways to Honor Black History Month in Your Church

1.Celebrate the ethnicity of every member of your congregation. Hang flags from all your members’ nations of ancestry in the sanctuary, have a potluck with foods from their ancestral homelands, or have members dress in the attire of their ancestral country.

2. Racial Reconciliation Sunday is the second Sunday in February each year. It’s not talked about much in many of our churches these days, but it is a great time to make an intentional effort to broaden our churches’ reach and understanding. I like the idea of having a pulpit exchange with a preacher and/or choir coming from a church of a different ethnicity than the prominent ethnicity in your church. A number of times I have been the first Black pastor to preach in a pulpit. It is not the end goal, but it is a step in the right direction.

3. Host an open, honest panel discussion on race related issues with interactive questions from the congregation. Hit the tough issues that make people feel uncomfortable. We can never move forward in becoming more like Jesus in this area without this kind of loving but challenging dialogue.

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4. Have mixed racial groups watch a modern movie that highlights a portion of Black history and have a discussion afterwards. Here a few to consider: Hidden Figures , Race , 12 Years a Slave , Selma , 42 , Just Mercy , Men of Honor , The Help , or Harriett . (Note: Some of these films are gruesome in their depictions and discretion is required.)

5. Lead a Bible study with your racial eyes open and your antenna raised. Consider studying Jesus on race, race and the unhindered gospel in Acts, or the challenges of being Philemon and Onesimus.

6. Invite people to join book clubs that will read and have a four-week discussion around the book, Removing the Stain of Racism in the Southern Baptist Convention or some other similar work.

7. Encourage your pastor to preach a sermon series. Here are some ideas:

• Rhythm of Life: A series about important issues using popular songs to express the theme of each message. Some titles might be “God Bless the Child,” “Respect,” “We Are Family,” “I Believe I Can Fly,” and “If This Isn’t Love.”
• We’ve Come this Far By Faith: A series tying the faith of the Patriarchs to the faith that has sustained our people.
• Strength from the Spirituals. Some themes might be “Go Down Moses,” “God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds,” “Steal Away,” “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray,” and “We Shall Overcome.”
• Becoming Brothers: A series from Philemon on how to grow beneficial relationships, bringing out the racial and class overtones in the text.

In celebrating Black History Month in your church you bring us all a little closer to heaven.

Big Results

Big Results: Sunday School & Black Church Life is a call for Sunday School renewal in Black and Multi-ethnic churches. It is a battle cry to rally the forces of goodwill and to revive a quality Sunday School experience for people of color. It is a declaration of war against biblical illiteracy and the lack of religious education that are far too prevalent in many churches.

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About Mark Croston

Mark Croston served as pastor to an urban congregation in Virginia for 26 years. He has a Doctor of Ministry concentrating in Christian Education and has traveled, been on mission, or preached in almost 40 countries. Croston now serves as national director of Black & Western church partnerships at Lifeway Christian Resources. He is general editor of YOU Bible Study Curriculum and is the author of the book Big Results: Sunday School and Black Church Life.

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5 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in Any Church

• by ACS Technologies
• February 22, 2023 February 15, 2023

For far too long, many of the great stories of Black history have gone untold. Black history month gives our churches a great opportunity to share these stories and help our congregations understand the broader story of Black history. Whether your church is monocultural or multi-cultural, your congregation has an opportunity in the next few weeks to highlight black history in unique and compelling ways. Here are five ideas to get you started. 

1. Bring Black history events into your sermons.

U.S. Black history is full of compelling stories that illustrate the biblical truth you’re sharing each week. You have enough great stories to share that you could fill an annual preaching calendar, much less a month. Black history month is a great place to start. The best way to get these stories is to make Black history a regular part of your reading habits. But here are a few stories to get you started in your research.

• The Underground Railroad – You probably know the basics. The underground railroad was a network of people and places that helped slaves go from slavery in the South to freedom in the North. It’s estimated that 100,000 slaves used this system to find their freedom in the first half of the 19th century. The stories of famous participants like Harriet Tubman make great illustrations, particularly if you’re preaching on biblical themes of freedom, redemption, hope, and courage. If you happen to live in an area of the country where the Underground Railroad was strong (such as Iowa , Indiana and Ohio ), try to leverage local stories. It’ll take some digging, but a nearby librarian or museum curator can likely help.
• George Liele – The story of George Liele has often been overlooked when the great stories of American missionaries are told. Liele was born into slavery in Virginia and became a Christian in 1773. He started preaching to fellow slaves soon after his conversion. In 1978, his master, a British loyalist, set Liele free. To pay for the freedom of his wife and four children, Liele became an indentured servant on a Jamaican-bound ship. He soon repaid his debt and began preaching to the island’s slaves as a free person. A decade before William Carey left for India, Liele became the first Baptist missionary. In 2020, the Southern Baptist Convention recognized an annual George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism and Missions Day on the first Sunday of February. His story fits well within many sermon topics but particularly ones dealing with missions and evangelism.
• John Lewis & Bloody Sunday – March 7, 1965 was a turning point in the fight for civil rights in the United States. On that day, John Lewis and 600 others met for prayer at a downtown church. Then they walked through the streets of Selma, Alabama. As they arrived at the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the way out of town, they met 150 Alabama state troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and posse men who told the demonstrators to disperse. Just 65 seconds after a two-minute warning was announced, the troopers attacked the demonstrators with clubs, bullwhips, and tear gas.  John Lewis, who later became a longtime Georgia congressman, suffered a skull fracture and was one of 58 demonstrators treated for their injuries at a local hospital. As the nation watched those events on their nightly news broadcasts, it became a catalyzing event for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Any sermon on courage, prayer, and social justice could benefit from the story of Bloody Sunday.

2. Hold a movie night with films on Black history.

Particularly in recent years many great films on Black history have made their way to theaters. Because so much of Black history is tied in the Black church, spiritual and moral themes play a powerful role in a number of them. Consider inviting your congregation for an evening viewing of the film and discussion afterward. You can set up the event in several ways. You could have lunch and host a matinee in the afternoon or eat dinner during the movie. Because it’s so important for people to engage with the topics the movies address, be sure to leave some time for discussion afterward. Here are a few movies to consider. Note that some of them may have language and include images that may not be suitable for all ages. Be sure to check your favorite family movie guide for a full assessment. 

• Selma – This 2014 movie tells the story addressed above about the events leading up to and including Bloody Sunday. The movie focused heavily on the relationship between Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson, whose partnership helped to forge the Voting Rights Act a few months after the march. 
• 12 Years a Slave – This critically acclaimed movie tells the story of Solomon Northup, a Black freeman who was kidnapped in 1841 and spent 12 years in slavery. The extreme brutality, based on the authentic experiences of slavery, can be tough to watch and shouldn’t be viewed by children. Still, for the right audience, it’s a powerful description of slavery.
• Hidden Figures – It’s fair to say that the contributions of Black mathematicians to the NASA space program of the 1960s was largely forgotten until the book and movie of this title was released. The movie tells the story of three Black mathematicians who made critical contributions to the space program, overcoming both racial and gender prejudice. 

3. Sing black spirituals as part of your music time. 

It’s hard to overestimate the power of the tradition of Black spirituals in U.S. history. According to the Library of Congress, a spiritual is a type of religious folk song associated with African people when they were enslaved in the American South. Music had been a key part of daily life for Africans before their enslavement. When they began to convert to Christianity in the 17th century, it was only natural that music became a key way they expressed their new faith. The songs have expressed both rich theology and the deep sorrow that accompanied slave life. Share as much of this theology and history as you can to help your church understand what they’re singing. If possible, invite people with experience in this musical genre to help you lead this time. Here are a few songs to get you started in helping your church plan for Black History Month. Each song is linked to a page at the Library of Congress that includes a recording. 

• “Nobody knows de trouble I’ve seen” – Maybe the most well-known of the Black spirituals. The song describes the difficult life that slaves and later Black Americans experienced. Yet the song comes to a crescendo in the last stanza: “Oh, nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Nobody knows but Jesus.” Legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson has an amazing rendition of this song that you might be able to use as part of your service.
• “Go Down Moses” – The song tells the story of Moses’ encounter with Pharaoh and his famous call to “Let my people go.” This particularly resonated with 19th-century Black slaves in the American South. Harriet Tubman used the song to signal to slaves that she was nearby and ready to help them escape.
• “Oh Jonah” – Of course, the song describes Jonah’s reluctant missionary journey. It’s a powerful and fun song with a strong biblical message. 

If possible, do more than sing these songs during your worship service. Explain how the song, and other Black spirituals like it, played a part in Black history. 

4. Interview older Black citizens in your church or community.

Your church or community has people who experienced some of the historical moments of the fight for civil rights over the last 75 years. Invite them to tell their stories during your worship service. Not only does it help your church understand their experiences better, but the experience sharing will often bless the interviewee.

Provide a list of questions beforehand so you don’t put anyone on the spot. Be sure to promote the special worship service a few weeks ahead of time. Send a note to local media to help you get the word out beyond your church.

Remember, February is a great time to focus your church’s attention on Black history. But it doesn’t need to be isolated to just one month. Look for ways you can tell the story throughout the year.

During Black History Month,  ACST  is proud to celebrate the achievements of African American ministers. We’re pleased and honored to recognize their role within the African American Christian experience.

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Home Equipping Leaders African American #SaySomething — Preaching Notes for Black History Month, week 1

January 26, 2017

January 2017

#SaySomething — Preaching Notes for Black History Month, week 1

The words we speak make the world. The voices to which we listen shape our imagination. The songs we sing confirm what we will believe. In poetry and song, these are the stories we tell. If you truly want to know who someone is, don’t settle for a few details from his or her life — listen to the stories. It is the stories that animate principles, promises, and pronouncements.

From the flickering flames of campfire to the illuminating lights of the cinema, stories have guided tribe and tradition. During the month of February, recent American practice has been to listen to the stories of Black history. A vantage point that gives context for the resilience and resistance of people around the globe whose heritage makes them part of the Black Diaspora. When these rehearsals are documentaries, such as Ava DuVernay’s 13 th or 20 th Century Fox’s Hidden Figures, we become exposed to what Paul Harvey coined as the rest of the story. History doesn’t change because we view it from a different perspective. But the viewer changes.

In her astounding TedTalk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” novelist Chimamanda Adichie warns that if we hear only a single story, we risk a critical misunderstanding. 1 A well-told story extends a covenant. It proposes a contractual agreement: the audience will suspend a portion of its preconceived notions to experience something fresh. Storytelling is the inheritance of every human being. It is what we do to remind ourselves of who we are. It is how we teach our heritage and espouse our values. While entertaining, stories capture our imaginations and form communities by the episodes they share. Stories enable us to reflect deeply about our lives by helping us remember what has been, and imagine what might be.

The stories of our lives are what most characterize our identity. In other words, the stories we consistently tell ourselves and others form the answers to “Who am I” and “How do I fit into the world around me?” We are the stories we tell. It is an ongoing process that allows us, over time, to develop and revise our stories and open up new possibilities of our lives.

In this month, we are reminded that before Denzel Washington began acting, Martin Luther King marched. And before King marched, Tuskegee Airmen flew. And before they flew, Mary McLeod Bethune taught. And before Bethune taught, Harriet Tubman ran. And before Tubman ran, Solomon Northup played the violin. The portions of this story in need of retelling are long and varied and bear evidence of promise.

The stories of our lives are what most characterize our identity. In other words, the stories we consistently tell ourselves and others form the answers to “Who am I” and “How do I fit into the world around me?”

During this month, Christians begin to tell a fresh portion of their own story. The season of Lent begins a new liturgical season, when the church is poised to prayerfully prepare to celebrate Easter. Acts of self-denial through fasting enable us to position ourselves to truly appreciate the full assault on death that is wrought by Jesus’ resurrection. We have an even larger context to keep in mind as we tell our personal, communal, and even national stories.

Recognizing that our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories summons the Christian community to know and tell our story. The opening chapter of the story of the people of God is neither national nor imagined. Rather, it is the edited story of a vulnerable God who has never abandoned the promise to form a people who bear the birthmark: divine facsimile. It is the story of a beloved community whose lives have been written by God, edited by Jesus, and transformed by the Holy Spirit. And so, as we celebrate the stories of the Black Diaspora and retell our Christian journey to the cross, may our lives be transformed into video-clips of the story the Creator of the Universe is narrating.

In honor and recognition of the tradition of “telling the stories” during Black History Month, we are please to share the work of Rev. Dr. Joy Moore. Serving as assistant professor of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA., and academic liaison to the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies, Joy J. Moore, PhD (Brunel University/London School of Theology) teaches in the area of homiletics and the practice of ministry. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, Dr. Joy seeks to encourage theologically framed, biblically attentive, and socially compelling interpretations of familiar passages to help people understand the critical issues influencing community formation in contemporary culture .

ISAIAH 58:1-12

Somebody ought to say something. There is urgency in the words of the prophet Isaiah. The time has passed for clever clichés, purposeless platitudes, and exhausted editorials. Ancient Israel and the community of faith today require a word that is purposely provocative. As Cleophus LaRue puts it in his book Rethinking Celebration , preachers need “to stop putting so much emphasis on celebratory endings to our sermons and focus more on the substantive content in our sermons.” 2 The text describes a community whose religious rituals have divided them into combative factions (58: 4). God is not pleased with the seekers who desire knowledge of spiritual practices or devotees demanding religious dogma. Someone must announce that disenfranchising those in need of welfare and ignoring the suffering of children and the elderly, even while keeping devotions and fasts, is rebellion in the eyes of God. The Lord requires acts of justice rather than tactics of convenience. Apparently exploitive trade agreements, militarized violence, and deportation campaigns are not twenty-first century anomalies. The prophet calls for an abandonment of partisan pledges, viral voices of criticism, and media-sanctioned slander (58:9). Only such recommitments make us worthy of the anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-16

The first-century Christian was no less tempted to partner with government as if the knowledge of good and evil were better than a right relationship with God. Paul’s words to the community of faith in Corinth downplay the opinions of the holders of conventional wisdom. His letter favors tangible demonstrations of the Spirit that bring a witness to the presence and power of God. Do not confuse the letters of Paul as a beta-version of early morning twitter posts. While Paul is not seeking to be crafty, his reliance of the Holy Spirit insists on exhibiting the mind of Christ. Like scholars today who deliberate over the ancient text, expect that those who come behind us will scrutinize every post related to #blacklivesmatter. In what ways have we submitted our witty aphorisms to the promises of God’s reign? The characteristic of Paul’s effectiveness lies in a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). The mind of Christ exhibited in the character of the believer threatens the oppressive, hedonistic, idolatrous conventions of the culture.

MATTHEW 5:13-20

According to Matthew, Jesus said the acts of grace that reminded Israel to practice justice will enable the world to glimpse the righteousness of God’s reign. When we recognize that we are indeed the people of God whose words and actions are a testimony to the peace of Christ, we refuse to accept the constructed lies of segregation. Words and acts that are detached from public discourse fail to season the stale lies dispatched by the powerbrokers of nation and commerce. Proclamations of the justice, peace, and righteous of the Creator God that do not offend the nation-state are not Christian speech. We are to shine a prophetic light of truth on the lies coming from market-driven advertisers and a power-driven administration. By strategic action we avoid reducing God to acceptable adjectives; diminishing doctrines to political postures; and limiting the gospel to propaganda. Whether in protest or civic service, only when our righteousness exceeds that of the legislators and appointed leaders will Christians offer a hopeless world a vision of God’s beloved community. Like Jesus and Martin Luther King, Jr., our witness is not to abolish the law but to enact laws with justice for all.

PSALM 112:1-10

The psalmist reminds us that generosity and justice will irritate the wicked, but those who favor mercy will “rise in the darkness as a light for the upright” (verse 4). It will not be claims of piety but practices of justice that evoke God’s blessing. The wealth of the righteous does not purchase positions of power but provides for the poor. The righteous are not afraid of evil policies because their merciful and gracious acts rise like a beacon of hope in the darkness. Rehearse the ancient playlist of the people of God to enable today’s spoken word, slam-poetry, and contemporary gospel to give voice to a movement that separates itself for partisan policies and finds communion among those who greatly delight in the commandments of God. All other desires amount to nothing.

1 Chimamanda Adichie 2013 TedTalk “The Danger of a Single Story” http://www.npr.org/2013/09/20/186303292/what-are-the-dangers-of-a-single-story Retrieved September 15, 2015.

2 Rethinking Celebration: From Rhetoric to Praise in African American Preaching. Westminster John Knox Press, 2016, ix

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Ideas for Celebrating Black History Month with Your Congregation and Community

08.15.19 | Multicultural Ministries, African American Ministries, Racial Justice | by Erik Alsgaard

As Christians, intentionally celebrating Black history in our congregations can be a meaningful part of our journey toward reconciliation, discovering common ground and the gifts inherent when we are unified in Christ and celebrate the gifts of diversity. Furthermore, it can help us understand our heritage as Christians better.

As the Rev. Vance P. Ross said, "The church originated amongst subjugated people, a terrorized and oppressed community struggling to live out -- with integrity and dignity -- their relationship with God.

The history of black people in America parallels the history of the church of Jesus in many ways: enslaved ancestors, governmental persecution, murdered leaders, systemic poverty, civil exclusion. Yet, from these social and religious maladies emerge heroic personalities and faith stories that have enhanced, undergirded, emboldened and enlightened the history of this nation and the work of the church.

In February and beyond, black history speaks the power of God in Jesus. This continued, ever evolving story shows the spirit at work and can in-spirit the local church towards Kingdom work. Black History informs Church history. It is church history. When we mine its depths, it can model grace, deepen faith and encourage ministries. Empowerment is always needed by the Church. black History can and will show us that empowerment." Please share your favorite traditions, writers, and ideas so we have a well-rounded resource with ideas to celebrate Black History Month with your congregation and community. Here are a few to get you started:

• The Commission on Religion and Race encourages churches to view heritage months and special days as jumpstarts for diversity work. Learn more .
• Learn more about the history of Black History month.
• Bishop Swanson encourages "churches not to simply celebrate Black History Month in isolation from our relationship with the Risen Christ." Learn more.
• United Methodist Women have several resources for celebrating Black History Month. Learn more .
• Discipleship Ministries shares resources including a theme, Unnatural Disasters: The Stony Road to Hope, a sermon series for Black History month rooted in spirituals and more. Learn more.
• A lenten blog/study inspired by #BlackLivesMatter and designed to prompt action during Holy Week. Learn more.
• A collection of easily shareable images and quotes for social media may be found at Black Then: Discovering Our History.

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7 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month at Your Church

1. Celebrate the ethnicity of every member of your congregation. Hang flags from all your members’ nations of ancestry in the sanctuary, have a potluck with foods from their ancestral homelands, or have members dress in the attire of their ancestral country.

2. Racial Reconciliation Sunday is the second Sunday in February each year. It’s not talked about much in many of our churches these days, but it is a great time to make an intentional effort to broaden our churches’ reach and understanding. I like the idea of having a pulpit exchange with a preacher and/or choir coming from a church of a different ethnicity than the prominent ethnicity in your church. A number of times I have been the first Black pastor to preach in a pulpit. It is not the end goal, but it is a step in the right direction.

3. Host an open, honest panel discussion on race related issues with interactive questions from the congregation. Hit the tough issues that make people feel uncomfortable. We can never move forward in becoming more like Jesus in this area without this kind of loving but challenging dialogue.

4. Have mixed racial groups watch a modern movie that highlights a portion of Black history and have a discussion afterwards. Here a few to consider: Hidden Figures, Race, 12 Years a Slave, Selma, 42, Just Mercy, Men of Honor, The Help, or Harriet . (Note: Some of these films are gruesome in their depictions and discretion is required.)

5. Lead a Bible study with your racial eyes open and your antenna raised. Consider studying Jesus on race, race and the unhindered gospel in Acts, or the challenges of being Philemon and Onesimus.

6. Invite people to join book clubs that will read and have a four-week discussion around the book Removing the Stain of Racism in the Southern Baptist Convention or some other similar work.

7. Encourage your pastor to preach a sermon series. Here are some ideas:

Rhythm of Life: A series about important issues using popular songs to express the theme of each message. Some titles might be “God Bless the Child,” “Respect,” “We Are Family,” “I Believe I Can Fly,” and “If This Isn’t Love.”

We’ve Come this Far By Faith: A series tying the faith of the Patriarchs to the faith that has sustained our people.

Strength from the Spirituals. Some themes might be “Go Down Moses,” “God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds,” “Steal Away,” “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray,” and “We Shall Overcome.”

Becoming Brothers: A series from Philemon on how to grow beneficial relationships, bringing out the racial and class overtones in the text.

In celebrating Black History Month in your church you bring us all a little closer to heaven.

First published on LifeWayVoices.com . Used by permission.

• racial reconciliation
• Black History Month
• Mark A. Croston

Mark A. Croston served as pastor to an urban congregation in Virginia for 26 years. He now serves as national director of Black & Western church partnerships at LifeWay Christian Resources. He is also general editor of the YOU Bible Study Curriculum and is the author of Big Results: Sunday School and Black Church Life .

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29 Ways to Participate in Black History Month

by General Commission on Religion and Race

February 1, 2023

Maha1450 Getty Images/iStockphoto

Black History Month

Black History Month USA Background

No matter your heritage, culture, or racial background, Black history is EVERYONE’s story. Here are 29 ways you, your family, and your congregation can celebrate and participate in Black History Month.

1. Patronize a local or online Black-owned business. 

2. Attend church, Bible study, or worship at a historically Black church and experience the Gospel from another vantage point. 

3. Sing hymns or songs during worship by a composer from the African diaspora. Include the history of the song or hymn in the church bulletin or on your website. 

4. Attend or co-host a Black history or Black culture event in your community, in partnership with a Black congregation. 

5. Take a church family field trip to a Black history site or museum in your area.  

6. Learn more about “Black Harry” Hosier (c. 1750-1806), an African-American Methodist preacher and evangelist.

7. Research other Black United Methodist leaders from our church’s heritage. 

8. Fearlessly learn more about how racism has and still affects Black people around the world and start confronting racism. 

9. Donate to a Black nonprofit or empowerment organization in your community. 

10. Watch a film by and about the heritage and lives of Black people. Titles to consider: “Antwone Fisher,” “Malcolm X,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Hidden Figures,” “The Hate U Give,” and “One Night in Miami.” 

11. Watch and discuss documentaries one about the Civil Rights movement and other series on the challenges and triumphs of Black people. Suggestions: “Eyes on the Prize,” and Henry Louis Gates’ recent series, “The Black Church: This Is Our Story. This Is Our Song.” 

12. Visit a landmark about the lives of local Black heroes in your area. 

13. Read a contemporary book by a Black author. 

14. Read a story featuring a Black hero to your children, grandchildren, or to a local school class. 

15. Seek out and talk with a Black elder (75 or older) about their experience in your community. 

16. Study one of the 54 nations on the continent of Africa, including the language, culture, current events. 

17. Donate to one of the 12 United Methodist-related historically Black colleges and universities in the United States and Zimbabwe. 

18. Learn about an unsung hero of Black history. 

19. Attend shows featuring local Black artists, actors, poets, local musicians, or dancers. 

20. Explore the breadth of Black music, from jazz to hip-hop, and gospel to southern African folk songs. 

21. Call out racism and prejudice aimed at Black people and other People of Color in your church and community. 

22. Learn about “colorism” and how it plays out in our society. 

23. Learn more about the Black UMC caucus, Black Methodists for Church Renewal .

24. Subscribe to and learn from Black media and the Black press.

25. Engage in positive, supportive conversations about Black history and culture on social media.

26. Learn the lyrics to “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” .

27. Read Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” The letter can be found here: Letter from Birmingham Jail (csuchico.edu)

28. Read a biography of an influential Black figure, such as Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Shirley Chisolm, Kobe Bryant, Michelle Obama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Justice Thurgood Marshall, the Rev. Joseph Lowery.

29. Register and vote.

Additional Resources:

Resource UMC:  February 05, 2023 Black History Month/General Commission on Religion and Race/5th Sunday after Epiphany

Discipleship Ministries: The Black Church Matters: Envisioning the Beloved Community

Discipleship Ministries: History of Hymns: 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands'

Why We Need a Black History Month - A perspective by Bishop Forrest Stith

A forum for discerning God's future for The United Methodist Church, hosted by St. Stephen UMC, Mesquite, TX.

7 stories to read in honor of Black History Month

In honor of black history month, the church news has compiled a list of stories honoring black members of the church.

On July 22, 2022 — the 175th anniversary of the day Green Flake drove the first wagon into Emigration Canyon — a monument was unveiled at This Is the Place Heritage Park honoring Black pioneers.

Three bronze statues — one of Jane Manning James and her sons Silas and Sylvester, another of Flake, and the third, of the brothers Wales and Smith — and accompanying stone pillars inscribed with highlights of their personal histories comprise the newest historical monument simply named Pioneers of 1847.

President M. Russell Ballard, the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a direct descendant of and proponent for early pioneers, dedicated the monument before a crowd of several hundred.

“When you’re on the stand and you’re looking at the audience of different races and cultures, it says, ‘This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ — internationally and multiculturally,” President Ballard said afterward of the diverse gathering of attendees. “It was just a wonderful thing to be a part of and to be able to honor the early pioneers, particularly early Black pioneers.”

In honor of Black History Month, the Church News has compiled a list of stories honoring Black members of the Church. Find six more stories below.

Who is Green Flake?

Mauli Junior Bonner stood backstage after performing with his family during the Church’s “ Be One ” celebration on June 1, 2018. The 90-minute event at the Conference Center marked, through song, dance and the spoken word, the 40th anniversary of Church’s  June 1978 revelation  that extended the blessings of the priesthood and the temple to all of God’s children. The name of the event — “Be One” — referenced the Savior’s teaching, “Be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine” ( Doctrine and Covenants 38:27 ).

The moment became of the “greatest experiences of his life” as he felt united with Church leaders and members. As an African-American Latter-day Saint, it made him want to learn more about his own history and about early Church history — including the experiences of early Church members who were enslaved African Americans.

He began to study the life of Green Flake — who was born into slavery in the mid 1820s and was in the first company of pioneering Latter-day Saints to reach the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

Theater vignette about Jane Manning James

Jane Manning James embraced the gospel as a free Black woman living in Connecticut in 1841, having been born in Wilton in the early 1820s. With her family, she walked more than 800 miles to join the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. She lived with and worked for Joseph and Emma Smith at the Mansion House. In 1847, she participated in the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo, and her family was the first African American family to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley.

This article from 2017 shares excerpts from a one-woman theater vignette about her life at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City.

Pioneers in every land: Rudá Tourinho de Assis Martins

One fast Sunday in 2021 in the Watford City Ward in North Dakota, a woman of African descent in her late 80s made her way to the podium, helped along by her daughter. In Portuguese and English, and with her daughter acting as translator, she began bearing her testimony.

Shari Buck recalled feeling the power of the Spirit fill the chapel. Listening to her testimony was a “soul-touching experience,” she said. The experience had her wondering, “Who is this woman?”

Sister Rudá Tourinho de Assis Martins, wife of the late  Elder Helvécio Martins  — the first Black general authority in the Church — had just moved to the prairies and oil fields of North Dakota to live with her daughter Marisa Helena Knudson. With her, she brought a lifetime of faithful service and an unshakeable testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Black Latter-day Saint’s reflections on Black history in the Church

Clareena Lindsay, a member of the Church in Montreal, Quebec, recently reflected on a presentation at a Black History Month event held in the Montreal Quebec Mount Royal Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2020. 

“It’s great to focus on Black history in February,” Lindsay told the  Church’s Canada Newsroom , “but Black history should be learned any time of the year.”

As she learned in Church meetings about pioneers, she felt that she could not fully relate to the stories of the mostly white pioneers and early Saints. “By researching Black pioneers, it helped me connect more,” she said. “What motivated me to research this topic was wanting to explain the circumstances at that time and share all the information in a way that would uplift. I wanted my presentation to be balanced and informative.” 

Family history: Reclaim your African roots

Black History Month has been observed in the United States each February since 1976. The  annual celebration  honors achievements by African Americans and their central role in U.S. history. 

It is also a time to learn more about and celebrate African American heritage. 

FamilySearch offers a handout titled “ 10 Steps to Reclaiming Your African Roots: A Guide to Navigating African American Genealogy ” as a place to start.

The Church’s ‘Be One’ celebration

‘Sound a trumpet’ and ‘Praise the Lord’: two simple, three-word phrases aptly capturing the spirit that lifted the Conference Center on Friday, June 1, 2018.

In the waning moments of the historic “Be One” event, President Russell M. Nelson ’s eyes twinkled as he stood on the Conference Center stage and saluted the many performers. Perhaps he was also envisioning people across the globe clasping hands, literally and metaphorically, commemorating a latter-day priesthood revelation that continues to bless legions.

“On every continent and across the isles of the sea, faithful people are being gathered into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he said at the conclusion of the “Be One” — the First Presidency-sponsored celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the 1978 revelation on the priesthood.

“Differences in culture, language, gender, race, and nationality,” he said, “fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our Beloved Redeemer.”

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To Understand America, You Need to Understand the Black Church

W e are living through a traumatic inflection point in our American story. Millions of our fellow citizens are hurting from a series of pandemics. Our public health system, our economic fate, and issues of racial justice all are on the line at the very same time. So, too, is democracy itself.

Observing the vicious murder of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis last spring was not only shocking; it was disorienting. I wondered: was this 1968 all over again, or the Red Summer of 1919, when anti-black violence consumed the country amidst another devastating pandemic, or 1877, the year the bright lights of Reconstruction were violently snuffed out just a dozen years after the Civil War restored the Union on the basis of freedom and equal citizenship under the law? And this was before the presidential election in November!

The tense days that followed—made all the more desolate by the loss of such icons as John Lewis and C.T. Vivian —only reinforced my sense that the history of the first Reconstruction was being refracted through our own lives and in our own time. Then came the special elections in Georgia in January, when, on the eve of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the Rev. Raphael Warnock , the pastor of Dr. King’s church in Atlanta, became the first African American ever sent to the Senate from his state and the eleventh Black American to be elevated to that chamber overall. The first had been Hiram Revels, of Mississippi, in 1870, and, like Warnock, Revels had been a man of the Word. In fact, during Reconstruction, the historian Eric Foner tells us, three of the first sixteen African American members of Congress were ministers, and of the more than 2,000 Black officeholders at every level of government in that era, more than 240 were ministers—second only to farmers.

All of this was a powerful reminder to me of the vital role that the Black Church and its leaders—men and women—have always played at pivotal moments in our collective struggle to realize that “more perfection union”: a lesson that had already been brought vividly home to me in filming my new history series for PBS and authoring its companion book, The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song . When we began working on it, though, never could I have imagined that we would be launching at a time when the stories we wanted to tell of grace and resilience, struggles and redemption, hope and healing, would be so desperately needed, given all that we’ve lost and endured in the past year.

What I’ve learned in exploring the history of African American religion from the earliest days of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement to my own return trip to the childhood church that witnessed my conversion in Piedmont, West Virginia, is that the Black Church is as diverse as it is foundational to the African American experience. As the great W. E. B. Du Bois observed in his 1903 masterpiece, The Souls of Black Folk , “one can see in the Negro church today, reproduced in microcosm, all the great world from which the Negro is cut off by color-prejudice and social condition…. Practically, a proscribed people must have a social Centre, and that Centre for this people is the Negro church.”

Black churches also were the first institutions built by Black people and run independent of white society in the United States, with the earliest Black Christian congregations roughly contemporaneous with the Declaration Independence of 1776, including churches in Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. Since then, African Americans have taken their “masters’ religion” and made it their own through a flowering of denominations that run the gamut from the AME Church to the Church of God in Christ to so many storefront sanctuaries that remain a key refuge for many in hard times. In doing so, they have not only given the wider world astonishing cultural gifts in the form of oratory and song; they have found a new through-line in the Christian liberation story that they have used as a redemptive force to shine a line on the hypocrisy at the heart of their bondage. That was as true for Frederick Douglass as it is today for Rev. William Barber Jr.

As we stare down the array of threats to our democratic life in 2021, as we grieve and offer comfort to one another, and search for hope amid our shared despair, let us look to the history—and future—of the Black Church as an exemplar of what is possible when we, the people, assemble and march in the name of a higher power.

For a people systematically brutalized and debased by the inhumane system of human slavery, followed by a century of Jim Crow racism, the church provided a refuge: a place of racial and individual self‑affirmation, of teaching and learning, of psychological and spiritual sustenance, of prophetic faith; a symbolic space where Black people, enslaved and free, could nurture the hope for a better today and a much better tomorrow. For a community disenfranchised and underserved by religious institutions established by and catering to the needs of white people, it served both secular and spiritual needs. Its music and linguistic traditions have permeated popular culture, and its scriptural devotion to ideas of liberation, equality, redemption, and love have challenged and remade the nation again and again, calling America to its higher self in times of testing and trial.

No pillar of the African American community has been more central to its history, identity, and social justice vision than the “Black Church.” To be sure, there is no single Black Church, just as there is no single Black religion, but the traditions and faiths that fall under the umbrella of African American religion, particularly Christianity, constitute two stories: one of a people defining themselves in the presence of a higher power and the other of their journey for freedom and equality in a land where power itself—and even humanity—for so long was (and still is) denied them. Collectively, these churches make up the oldest institution created and controlled by African Americans, and they are more than simply places of worship. In the centuries since its birth in the time of slavery, the Black Church has stood as the foundation of Black religious, political, economic, and social life.

The Black Church has influenced nearly every chapter of the African American story, and it continues to animate Black identity today, both for believers and nonbelievers. In that sense, the Black Church functions on several levels, as a spiritual center—a place of worship—and as a social center and a cultural repository as well, a living treasure trove of African American sacred cultural history and practice: literally the place where “the faith of the fathers and mothers” is summoned and preserved, modified and reinvented each Sunday, in a dynamic process of cultural retrieval and transformation, all at the same time.

With a language all its own, symbols all its own, the Black Church offered a reprieve from the racist world, a place for African Americans to come together in community to advance their aspirations and to sing out, pray out, and shout out their frustrations. It was the saving grace of both enslaved Black people and of the 10 percent or so of the Black community that, at any given time before the Civil War, were ostensibly free; the site of possibility for the liminal space between slavery and freedom, object and subject, slave and citizen, in which free Black people were trapped. The church fueled slave rebellions, nurtured and sustained the Underground Railroad, and was the training ground for the orators of the abolitionist movement, and for ministers such as Richard Harvey Cain who emerged as powerful and effective political leaders during Reconstruction . It powered antilynching campaigns and economic boycotts, and formed the backbone of and meeting place for the civil rights movement. Rooted in the fundamental belief in equality between Black and white, human dignity, earthly and heavenly freedom, and sisterly and brotherly love, the Black Church and the religion practiced within its embrace acted as the engine driving social transformation in America, from the antebellum abolitionist movement through the various phases of the fight against Jim Crow, and now, in our current century, to Black Lives Matter.

The Black Church, in a society in which the color line was strictly policed, amounted to a world within a world, providing practical physical and social outlets and economic resources for local African American communities. Even in the antebellum period, the Black Church was the proving ground for the nourishment and training of a class of leaders; it fostered community bonds and established the first local, regional, and then national Black social networks. It was under the roofs of these churches that African Americans, in the heyday of Reconstruction—especially in that magical summer of 1867, when Black men in the former Confederacy got the right to vote—also learned of the opportunities and obligations of citizenship and the sanctity of the franchise.

The church also bred distinct forms of expression, maybe most obviously its own forms of music. Black sacred music, commencing with the sacred songs the enslaved created and blossoming into the spirituals (which W. E. B. Du Bois aptly dubbed the “Sorrow Songs”), Black versions of Protestant hymns, gospel music, and freedom songs, emerging from within the depths of Black belief and molded in repetitions and variations in weekly choir practice and Sunday worship services, would eventually captivate a broad, nonsectarian audience and influence almost every genre of twentieth‑century popular music. The blues, jazz, rock and roll, soul and R&B, folk, rock, and even hip‑hop bear the imprint of Black sacred music. It is evident in the sound of such a wide array of legendary artists that it is difficult to limit a list, but there are some names that simply cannot go unspoken: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington; Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, and James Brown; Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye; Donny Hathaway and Teddy Pendergrass; Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler; Tina Turner; Whitney Houston; Patti LaBelle; practically all of Motown, all the way to Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and Kirk Franklin, whose talents were nurtured in church pews and choirs. Mahalia Jackson, Dr. King’s sacred soul mate and private muse, is, of course, in a class of her own, stubbornly resisting the extremely lucrative financial lure of “going secular” but nevertheless influencing the styles of a plethora of Black singers ranging over a host of genres. “The church is our foundation,” Hudson says. “Somehow to me it relates to our culture. I noticed when I was in Africa how the music wasn’t just music; it was a message. Well, it’s the same in the church. When you’re singing a song, it’s not just a song; it’s your testimony. It’s your story. You’re singing with purpose and to God.”

Today, African Americans, like all Americans, are increasingly moving away from organized religion. Yet in nationwide surveys, roughly 80 percent of African Americans—more than any other group—report that religion is very important in their lives. This is hardly surprising when we understand just how central faith institutions have been in the history of Africans and African Americans and their cultures and social institutions in this country. For centuries, these religions—primarily but not only many denominations of Christianity—have served as a lifeline for African Americans. Whether that lifeline will remain as vigorous and vital in the twenty‑first century is an open question. At a moment when the Black community and the nation overall seem to be at a crossroads in the future of race relations, it is more important than ever to illuminate the Black Church’s past and present, both to appreciate what Black religion has contributed to the larger American story and to speculate about the role it will play as race relations transform in this society.

Worthiness. Personhood. Somebody-ness. Religion has fed generations of African American souls in this country, through the brutal trials of slavery to a new hope within a new nation, through the struggle for liberation, economic freedom, education, and the fight for full citizenship in the country we helped build.

From THE BLACK CHURCH by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Published by arrangement with Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

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Henry Louis Gates’ new book traces the institution’s role in history, politics, and culture

Excerpted from “The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song” by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Penguin Press)

Political activists — including Malcolm X, of course, but especially the Black Panther Party in the latter half of the 1960s — have debated whether the role of the Black embrace of Christianity under slavery was a positive or negative force. There were those who argued that the Black Church was an example of Karl Marx’s famous indictment of religion as “the opium of the people” because it gave to the oppressed false comfort and hope, obscuring the causes of their oppression and reducing their urge to overturn that oppression. But I do not believe that religion functioned in this simple fashion in the history of Black people in this country.

As a matter of fact, although Marx was no fan of religion, to put it mildly, this statement, which the Panthers loved to quote, was part of a more complicated assessment of the nature and function of religion. The full quote bears repeating: “Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” Marx could not imagine the complexity of the Black Church, even if the Black Church could imagine him — could imagine those who lacked the tools to see beyond its surface levels of meaning. James Weldon Johnson, in his lovely poem about the anonymous authors of the sacred vernacular tradition, “O Black and Unknown Bards,” put this failure of interpretive reciprocity in this memorable way:

What merely living clod, what captive thing, Could up toward God through all its darkness grope, And find within its deadened heart to sing These songs of sorrow, love and faith, and hope? How did it catch that subtle undertone, That note in music heard not with the ears?

The role of Black Christianity in motivating our country’s largest slave rebellion, Nat Turner’s rebellion, Southampton County, Va., is only the most dramatic example of the text of the King James Bible being called upon to justify the violent revolutionary overthrow of the slave regime. But we need only look at the brilliant use of the church in all of its forms — from W. E. B. Du Bois’s triptych of “the Preacher, the Music, and the Frenzy” to the use of the building itself — to see the revolutionary potential and practice of Black Christianity in forging social change. What most intrigues me about Marx’s full quote is his realization that it is at once “the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering,” a crucial part of the quote that seems to have fallen away.

A Bible belonging to Nat Turner from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Nat Turner and His Confederates in Conference,” an engraving by John Rogers based on an illustration by Felix Darley.

Source: Gift of Maurice A. Person and Noah and Brooke Porter; “History of American Conspiracies,” 1863

People, of course, pray and worship for all sorts of reasons. Despite what Marx and the Black Panthers thought, the importance of the role of the Black Church at its best cannot be gainsaid in the history of the African American people. Nor can it be underestimated. It isn’t religion that keeps human beings enslaved; it is violence. Most normal human beings don’t need an elaborate religious belief system to resist the temptation to sacrifice their lives in the face of overwhelming odds and the certainty that they will be brutally suppressed and killed. That would be unreasonable.

The “failure” of African Americans to overthrow their masters, as the enslaved men and women did on the island that became the Republic of Haiti, can’t be traced to the role of the church per se, as Nat Turner’s decision to act based on his interpretation of prophecy attests. Early on, the church and Christianity played a role both in Black rebellions and in the preparation of Black people for leadership roles. Following Denmark Vesey’s alleged slave insurrection, Emanuel Church in Charleston, S.C., was burned to the ground; at the end of the Civil War, the Rev. Richard Harvey Cain left his congregation in New York to go south, to resurrect Mother Emanuel, and then, during Reconstruction, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. (Other churches would be the subject of deadly attacks and explosions carried out at the hands of white supremacists, most notably the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963, in which four little girls were killed, another was blinded, and more than a dozen people were injured.)

Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at an interfaith civil rights rally in San Francisco’s Cow Palace on June 30, 1964.

Photo by George Conklin/Creative Commons

Turner knew his Bible. Frederick Douglass, too, was thoroughly grounded in the church, having attended the Methodist church on Sharp Street in Baltimore while enslaved and then delivering his first public speeches — sermons — at the AME Zion Church (“Little Zion”) on Second Street in the whaling city of New Bedford, Mass. It has long been assumed that Douglass miraculously “found his voice” at an abolition meeting on Nantucket Island in 1841, three years after he escaped from slavery in Maryland, spontaneously rising to his feet in front of a roomful of white strangers. Not so, and he was even “ordained” in a way at Little Zion when he was about 21 or 22 years old. Like his father, the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., pastored at Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church; unlike his father, he ran for political office and served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Powell effectively led the civil rights movement in the North until Montgomery, Ala., emerged as the epicenter of the movement and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became its most recognizable face and voice. I could provide many other examples. The Black Church has a long and noble history in relation to Black political action, dating back at least to the late 18th century. The failure of enslaved African Americans to overthrow the institution of slavery, as their Haitian sisters and brothers would do, cannot be traced to the supposed passivity inbred by Christianity; rather, it can be traced to the simple fact that, unlike the Black people enslaved on Saint-Domingue, African Americans were vastly outnumbered and outgunned. Violent insurrection would have been a form of racial suicide.

What the church did do, in the meantime, as Black people collectively awaited freedom, was to provide a liminal space brimming with subversive features. To paraphrase one of the standard phrases from the Christian tradition, one should never underestimate the power of prayer. Just ask Bull Connor or George Wallace. Without the role of the Black Church, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, with King by his side at both, and future congressman John Lewis, himself an ordained Baptist minister, present in 1965 — would never have been enacted when they were. There is no question that the Black Church is a parent of the civil rights movement, and today’s Black Lives Matter movement is one of its heirs.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis at Harvard’s 2018 Commencement, where he was principal speaker.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard file photo

This is a truth made manifest in the mourning of Rep. Lewis this summer. In a season of pain marked by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, Lewis’s funeral included a service at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma and his final crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. For Lewis, voting was sacramental, and he shed his blood for us to exercise this most fundamental of rights. In revisiting these sites and reflecting on his many marches for justice, “we, the people” once again bore witness to the deeper historical reality that faith has long been the source of the courage of those toiling on the front lines of change. As Lewis once put it, “The civil rights movement was based on faith. Many of us who were participants in this movement saw our involvement as an extension of our faith.”

One of the greatest achievements in the long history of civilization, as far as I am concerned, is the extraordinary resilience of the African American community under slavery, through the sheer will and determination of these men and women to live to see another day, to thrive. The number of Africans dragged to North America between 1526 and 1808, when the slave trade ended, totaled approximately 388,000 shipped directly from continent to continent, plus another 52,430 through the intra-American trade. That initial population had grown to some 4.4 million free and enslaved people by 1860. How was this possible? What sustained our ancestors under the nightmare of enslavement to build families and survive their being ripped apart and sold off in the domestic trade; to carry on despite not being able to ward off the rapacious sexual advances of their masters (a verity exposed by DNA, which shows that the average African American is more than 24 percent European); to acquire skills; to create a variety of complex cultural forms; to withstand torture, debasement, and the suffocating denial of their right to learn to read and write; and to defer the gratification of freedom from bondage — all without ever giving up the hope of liberty, as one enslaved poet, George Moses Horton, put it, if not for themselves, then for their children or grandchildren, when slavery had no end in sight? What empowered them with “hope against hope”? The writer Darryl Pinckney in a recent essay notes that “if a person cannot imagine a future, then we would say that that person is depressed.” To paraphrase Pinckney’s next line, if a people cannot imagine a future, then its culture will die.

“The importance of the role of the Black Church at its best cannot be gainsaid in the history of the African American people. Nor can it be underestimated.”

And Black culture didn’t die. The signal aspects of African American culture were planted, watered, given light, and nurtured in the Black Church, out of the reach and away from the watchful eyes of those who would choke the life out of it. We have to give the church its due as a source of our ancestors’ unfathomable resiliency and perhaps the first formalized site for the collective fashioning and development of so many African American aesthetic forms. Although Black people made spaces for secular expression, only the church afforded room for all of it to be practiced at the same time. And only in the church could all of the arts emerge, be on display, practiced and perfected, and expressed at one time and in one place, including music, dance, and song; rhetoric and oratory; poetry and prose; textual exegesis and interpretation; memorization, reading, and writing; the dramatic arts and scripting; call-and-response, signifying, and indirection; philosophizing and theorizing; and, of course, mastering all of “the flowers of speech.” We do the church a great disservice if we fail to recognize that it was the first formalized site within African American culture perhaps not exclusively for the fashioning of the Black aesthetic, but certainly for its performance , service to service, week by week, Sunday to Sunday.

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The Black Church was the cultural cauldron that Black people created to combat a system designed to crush their spirit. Collectively and with enormous effort, they refused to allow that to happen. And the culture they created was sublime, awesome, majestic, lofty, glorious, and at all points subversive of the larger culture of enslavement that sought to destroy their humanity. The miracle of African American survival can be traced directly to the miraculous ways that our ancestors reinvented the religion that their “masters” thought would keep them subservient, Rather, that religion enabled them and their descendants to learn, to grow, to develop, to interpret and reinvent the world in which they were trapped; it enabled them to bide their time — ultimately, time for them to fight for their freedom, and for us to continue the fight for ours. It also gave them the moral authority to turn the mirror of religion back on their masters and to indict the nation for its original sin of allowing their enslavement to build up that “city upon a hill.” In exposing that hypocrisy at the heart of their “Christian” country, they exhorted succeeding generations to close the yawning gap between America’s founding ideals and the reality they had been forced to endure. Who were these people? As the late Rev. Joseph Lowery put it, “I don’t know whether the faith produced them, or if they produced the faith. But they belonged to each other.”

Published by arrangement with Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

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Black History and Faith: Why and How It Matters to Kids

• Sharon Gilbert

The black church has been the backbone of the African American community since its beginning.  From the times of slavery to the present day, the church has been and still is a light for educating children, families, and communities about the history of our culture.

The church creates an environment for people of all ages—especially children—to find comfort and encouragement. And the church enables children to learn about their culture and develop their own personal relationships with Jesus . This helps children find their identity in God. 

The common thread within all churches today is that we all worship and serve the same God.  

And in that we need to make sure our children are establishing a relationship with the Lord. In the black church, we teach and share that we are here today because of our faith and trust in the Lord. We sing the song “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” in the black church regularly.

The community experience in black churches is the story of the journey of how the Bible and worship have touched relationships—individual, family, and community. And how was this done?  By leaning in and depending on the Lord!

Black History and Faith

Children go to school and participate in recreational and other activities every day with children representing many cultures.

Do parents think about who is going to be attending these events?  Do these families share the same values that are important to black families?

When talking with teachers and volunteers working with black children in church, they all agree that involvement in such activities is good for children. However, it is the church that emphasizes how important it is for black children to be taught about our history and our faith.

February is Black History Month ; however, it needs to be taught to our children throughout the year. 

As written in Hebrews 13:8 , Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. 

It is in the black church where children hear about their heritage and culture .  Aside from their homes, the church is where grandparents, parents, and ancestors express their love for the Lord. 

February is Black History Month; however, it needs to be taught to our children throughout the year. 

They testify about their faith in Lord, the goodness of the Lord, and how He bought them through struggles and victories. Sharing these experiences allows their faith to grow. Black churches teach children the history of their culture through relevant life happenings, songs, and stories.    

Seek materials and resources to teach black history, faith, and the Word of God

Impacting Students: Black History and Faith

Teachers and volunteers express their desire to make sure that they are impacting the lives of their students and helping them grow in their relationship with the Lord. 

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Tell children that they are created in the image of God. Take them back to the beginning of time, and teach them that, on day six, God created man and woman. He created them in His own image. Make sure they understand that they are a child of God. They are special, and God loves them. We should celebrate them.

Black children need to understand that they are a part of God’s Story.

Are you concerned that today’s generation doesn’t know God’s Word and how they fit into the big God Story?

Resourcing Your Ministry—Echoes Curriculum

Choose curriculum and resources that will help children learn about their history and grow in their relationship with Jesus.  David C Cook offers curriculum that is specifically designed to teach children about their African American heritage and God’s Word— Echoes curriculum .  This curriculum is used by many denominations, churches, and individuals. 

It equips teachers and volunteers to focus on engaging children to discover God’s Word and to celebrate African American Heritage and faith. 

Here are some features that are key to Echoes curriculum:

• Teaches everyday life lessons rooted in God’s truth
• Step-by-step lesson plans and creative extras
• Teacher friendly—easy to prepare and teach
• Four lesson steps—Life Needs, Bible Learning, Bible Application, and Life Response
• Black History Highlights

When looking at other resources, consider:

• Can the children visualize themselves in the lessons?
• Are the lessons culturally relevant?
• Do children leave feeling valued and knowing their place in God’s Big Story?

As a teacher or a volunteer, I hope you find joy in the ministry you are doing. You are making a difference in the lives of your students. You are helping to imprint their hearts with biblical truths that will impact them for the rest of their lives. Always remember to stay prayed up and stay focused.

Remember the Scripture in 2 Timothy 2:15 , ESV “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

About the Author

Sharon Gilbert, Director of Denominations and Special Ministries at David C Cook, is blessed to work with many different denominations. She meets and talks with ministry leaders, Sunday school superintendents, teachers, volunteers, and with parents. Over the years, having lived in various states, she has had the honor to teach children’s classes, vacation bible school, children’s church, and to have served as Sunday school Superintendent.

View all posts

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Home » Church Resources » Inspiring Black History Skits for Church Services

Inspiring Black History Skits for Church Services

• 23 July 2023

In recent years, churches around the world have recognized the importance of celebrating Black History Month and incorporating relevant activities into their services. One powerful way to engage the congregation and educate them about the significance of Black history is through skits. These theatrical performances not only entertain but also inspire, educate, and challenge the viewers. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why including skits in church services is essential, the importance of celebrating Black history in the church, and how these performances can effectively engage the congregation.

Why Include Skits in Church Services?

Skits have the unique ability to convey powerful messages through storytelling and dramatic performances. By using skits as part of church services, the audience is captivated in a way that sermon alone may not achieve. Skits provide an interactive and visual experience that engages more senses and facilitates a deeper level of understanding. Whether it is a historical reenactment or a contemporary story, skits can effectively communicate important themes, values, and lessons.

In addition to their ability to convey powerful messages, skits also have the potential to foster a sense of community and connection among church members. When individuals participate in skits, whether as actors or behind the scenes, they have the opportunity to collaborate and work together towards a common goal. This collaborative effort can strengthen relationships, build trust, and create a sense of belonging within the church community. Skits can also provide a platform for individuals to showcase their talents and creativity, allowing them to feel valued and appreciated for their unique contributions. Overall, including skits in church services not only enhances the worship experience but also promotes unity and fellowship among church members.

The Importance of Celebrating Black History in Church

Black history is an integral part of the American narrative. It is crucial to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions, struggles, and achievements of African Americans. The church plays a vital role in promoting understanding, unity, and justice. By dedicating time to commemorate Black history, the church emphasizes the inherent dignity and worth of all individuals, regardless of their race. Furthermore, celebrating Black history in a religious context helps bridge the gap between faith and social justice, encouraging believers to act and strive for equality and justice.

One of the key reasons why celebrating Black history in the church is important is because it provides an opportunity for education and awareness. Many individuals may not be fully aware of the significant contributions made by African Americans throughout history. By incorporating Black history into church services, sermons, and events, congregants can learn about the achievements and struggles of African Americans, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for their experiences.

Engaging the Congregation with Black History Skits

Skits offer an engaging platform to teach and inspire the congregation about Black history. These performances can captivate the audience’s attention, utilizing visual storytelling to convey historical events and the experiences of African Americans. By incorporating skits into church services, pastors and leaders can encourage thoughtful discussions and reflection among the congregation. Skits provide an opportunity for dialogue, allowing community members to discuss the impact of historical events and the lasting effects of racism and discrimination.

Furthermore, black history skits can serve as a powerful tool for intergenerational learning within the congregation. By involving both younger and older members in the performance, skits create a space for shared experiences and knowledge exchange. Younger members can learn about the struggles and achievements of their ancestors, while older members can witness the enthusiasm and passion of the next generation. This intergenerational collaboration fosters a sense of unity and appreciation for the collective history of African Americans.

In addition, black history skits can also be used as a means of empowerment and celebration. By showcasing the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans throughout history, skits can instill a sense of pride and self-worth within the congregation. These performances can highlight the resilience and strength of the black community, inspiring individuals to overcome challenges and strive for greatness. By incorporating uplifting and empowering narratives into the skits, pastors and leaders can create a positive and empowering atmosphere within the church.

How Skits Can Educate and Inspire Churchgoers

Skits have the power to educate and inspire churchgoers by bringing stories of resilience, triumph, and hope to life. Whether it is a skit that highlights the struggle for civil rights or the accomplishments of influential African American leaders, these performances can educate the congregation about the rich history and culture of the Black community. As viewers witness the determination and courage displayed in the skits, they are inspired to reflect on their own lives and consider how they can contribute to creating a more just and inclusive society.

Furthermore, skits can also serve as a powerful tool for teaching biblical lessons and moral values. By reenacting stories from the Bible, churchgoers can gain a deeper understanding of the teachings and principles found in scripture. Skits allow for a visual and interactive experience, making it easier for individuals to grasp complex concepts and apply them to their own lives.

In addition, skits provide a platform for church members to showcase their talents and creativity. Whether it is acting, singing, or dancing, skits offer an opportunity for individuals to use their gifts and abilities to contribute to the worship experience. This not only fosters a sense of community and unity within the congregation but also encourages others to explore and develop their own talents.

Choosing the Right Black History Skits for Your Church

When selecting skits for church services, it is important to consider the relevance, authenticity, and impact of the performances. Look for skits that align with the themes and messages you wish to convey. Historical accuracy is crucial to honor the experiences of African Americans. Don’t shy away from presenting challenging and thought-provoking skits that address important events and issues. Lastly, ensure that the skits are accessible and relatable to the congregation, ensuring that they can connect with the characters and the stories being portrayed.

One way to ensure that the skits are accessible and relatable to the congregation is to involve members of the church in the production process. Encourage individuals to share their personal stories, experiences, and perspectives, and incorporate them into the skits. This not only adds authenticity but also allows the congregation to see themselves represented on stage. Additionally, consider incorporating music, dance, or other forms of artistic expression into the skits to further engage the audience and create a memorable experience.

Incorporating Historical Figures in Black History Skits

Highlighting historical figures in skits can be a powerful way to engage the congregation. Whether it is Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, or Rosa Parks, these individuals played significant roles in shaping African American history. By incorporating their stories into skits, churches can educate the congregation about the contributions and sacrifices these figures made, inspiring the viewers to emulate their virtues and pursue justice in their own lives. Historical figure reenactments can offer valuable insights into their struggles, victories, and the impact they had on the world.

Furthermore, incorporating historical figures in skits can help create a sense of connection and pride within the African American community. Seeing their ancestors portrayed on stage can instill a sense of cultural identity and heritage, reminding individuals of the resilience and strength of their people throughout history. This can foster a sense of unity and empowerment among the congregation, encouraging them to continue the fight for equality and justice.

In addition, incorporating historical figures in skits can also serve as a form of education for younger generations. By bringing these figures to life through skits, children and teenagers can learn about the struggles and triumphs of African American leaders in an engaging and interactive way. This can help them develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the history of their community, as well as inspire them to become agents of change in their own lives.

Highlighting the Achievements of African American Leaders

In addition to focusing on historical figures, skits can also celebrate the achievements of contemporary African American leaders. These performances can showcase how individuals in various fields, such as politics, arts, sports, and academia, have made significant contributions to society. By highlighting these achievements, the congregation is inspired to appreciate the talent, drive, and resilience within the African American community. Skits can serve as a platform to recognize and honor these leaders’ work and inspire others to pursue their own aspirations.

Bringing Black History to Life through Dramatic Performances

Skits are a form of dramatic performance that brings Black history to life. The use of costumes, props, and dialogue helps recreate historical events or tell stories rooted in African American culture. By immersing the congregation in these performances, skits have the power to evoke empathy and understanding. The visual experience provided by skits enables the audience to connect emotionally with the characters and the stories being portrayed. These performances cultivate a sense of shared history and foster unity within the church community.

Exploring Different Themes in Black History Skits

Black history is rich and multifaceted, covering a range of themes and stories. Skits offer an opportunity to explore these various themes, such as the abolitionist movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and modern forms of activism. By selecting skits that touch on different aspects of Black history, churches can provide a comprehensive education about the struggles, triumphs, and ongoing fight for equality within the African American community. It is important to ensure a fair representation of the diversity of experiences and perspectives within the Black community.

Creating a Meaningful Cultural Experience with Skits

Skits not only educate but also create a meaningful cultural experience for the congregation. By incorporating elements of African American culture, such as music, dance, and traditional clothing, churches can provide a holistic experience that celebrates the rich heritage of the Black community. Skits can showcase cultural traditions, folklore, and artistic expressions unique to African American history. By immersing the congregation in these cultural experiences, skits foster a deeper appreciation and understanding of the African American community’s contributions to society.

Connecting Faith and Black History through Church Skits

By including skits in church services, the congregation can explore the connection between faith and Black history. These performances can highlight the role of spirituality, faith, and Christian values in the lives of African Americans throughout history. Skits can emphasize the importance of social justice, equality, and compassion within the Christian faith. By connecting faith with Black history, churches can inspire believers to actively pursue justice, advocate for equality, and stand against racism.

Tips for Writing and Directing Powerful Black History Skits

Creating and directing powerful Black history skits requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are some essential tips to bear in mind:

• Thoroughly research the historical events and figures being portrayed to ensure accuracy and authenticity.
• Craft compelling and emotionally resonant dialogue that effectively communicates the intended message.
• Select talented and committed actors who can bring the characters to life and portray the necessary emotions.
• Create a visually engaging performance through the use of costumes, props, and stage design.
• Rehearse extensively to ensure smooth execution and effective delivery.
• Encourage open dialogue and reflection among the actors and the congregation to deepen their understanding of the skit’s themes.
• Continuously evaluate and refine the skits based on feedback and the evolving needs of the congregation.

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion through Church Performances

Churches have a unique opportunity to celebrate diversity and inclusion through performances like skits. By intentionally selecting skits that highlight the experiences of African Americans and other marginalized communities, the congregation is reminded of the importance of embracing all individuals as equals. Skits can challenge stereotypes, provoke thought, and promote unity within the church community as they celebrate the diversity of God’s creation.

Inspiring the Next Generation with Black History Skits

One of the essential goals of church services is to inspire and equip the next generation. Skits that focus on Black history can actively engage young people, fostering a sense of pride, identity, and social responsibility. By showcasing the achievements and resilience of African Americans, young churchgoers are inspired to pursue their dreams, stand against injustice, and create positive change in their communities. Skits provide a powerful medium to instill these values and inspire the next generation to carry the torch of equality and justice.

As we conclude, it is evident that incorporating inspiring Black history skits into church services is an effective way to educate, engage, and inspire the congregation. These performances allow for the exploration of important historical events, the celebration of African American achievements, and the connection between faith and social justice. By thoughtfully selecting and crafting skits, churches can create meaningful cultural experiences that promote unity, diversity, and a deep appreciation for Black history. So let us embrace the power of skits to inspire and empower the church community to actively pursue justice and equality.

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How Negro History Week Became Black History Month and Why It Matters Now

By Veronica Chambers and Jamiel Law Feb. 24, 2021

• Share full article

Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years. But what is it, exactly, and how did it begin?

In the years after Reconstruction, campaigning for the importance of Black history and doing the scholarly work of creating the canon was a cornerstone of civil rights work for leaders like Carter G. Woodson. Martha Jones, a professor of history at Johns Hopkins University and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, explained: “These are men [like Woodson] who were trained formally and credentialed in the ways that all intellectuals and thought leaders of the early 20th century were trained at Harvard and places like that. But in order to make the argument, in order to make the claim about Black genius, about Black excellence, you have to build the space in which to do that. There is no room.” This is how they built the room.

On Feb. 20, Frederick Douglass, the most powerful civil rights advocate of his era, dies.

Douglass collapsed after attending a meeting with suffragists, including his friend Susan B. Anthony. A lifelong supporter of women’s rights, Douglass was among the 32 men who signed the Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls, N.Y. He once said: “When I ran away from slavery, it was for myself; when I advocated emancipation, it was for my people. But when I stood up for the rights of woman, self was out of the question, and I found a little nobility in the act.”

Douglass was such an animated storyteller that, when he collapsed, his wife thought it was part of the story he was telling her about his day with the suffragists.

Washington, D.C., schools begin to celebrate what becomes known as Douglass Day.

On Jan. 12, 1897, Mary Church Terrell, an educator and community activist, proposed the idea of a school holiday to celebrate Frederick Douglass’s life at a school board meeting for the Washington-area “colored schools.” The school board agreed to set aside the afternoon of Feb. 14, 1897, the date Douglass celebrated as his birthday (he had been born enslaved and did not know his exact date of birth) for students to learn about his life, writing and speeches.

Terrell was an animal lover, and she and her husband had a beloved dog named Nogi. For years, she lobbied the Board of Education to set aside a day when Washington students would be taught and shown the importance of being kind to animals. Animal Day, as she called it, never passed.

Carter G. Woodson, the scholar now known as “the father of Black history,” was inspired to take his work nationwide.

Carter G. Woodson was born in 1875, the son of former enslaved people. He worked as a coal miner before receiving his master’s at the University of Chicago, and he was the second African-American to receive a Ph.D. at Harvard (after W.E.B. DuBois). In the summer of 1915, Dr. Woodson attended the Lincoln Jubilee celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of emancipation in Chicago, featuring exhibitions that highlighted African-Americans’ recent accomplishments. After seeing the thousands of people who attended from across the country, Dr. Woodson was inspired to do more in the spirit of honoring Black history and heritage.

According to an article in The Broad Ax, a weekly Black newspaper in Chicago, the Jubilee celebration included musical performances, garment and furniture making, and a 16-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln.

The movement for Black History grows.

On Sept. 9, 1915, Dr. Woodson formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization to promote the scientific study of Black life and history. (Today, the organization is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH.) In 1916, the association established The Journal of Negro History, the first scholarly journal that published researchers’ findings on the historical achievements of Black individuals.

Dr. Woodson believed that “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” To that end, he asked his Omega Psi Fraternity brothers to join him in the work of spreading the importance of Black history. The Omega Psi Fraternity created Negro History and Literature Week in 1924. But Dr. Woodson had even greater aspirations for Negro History to become a significant part of the culture across the country.

Dr. Woodson’s best-known book, “The Miseducation of the Negro,” inspired the title of the groundbreaking album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

In the 1920s, a decade of hope and possibility for Black Americans, Negro History Week begins.

Dr. Woodson believed deeply that a celebration of Black history would have lasting impact on future generations of leaders. As he reportedly told an audience of Hampton University students, “We are going back to that beautiful history and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.” Determined to lead the charge to study that history, Dr. Woodson announced the first Negro History Week in February 1926.

He chose February because it was the month in which both Lincoln and Douglass were born. After Lincoln’s assasination, his birthday, on Feb. 12, had been celebrated by Black Americans and Republicans. Douglass Day, which was observed on Feb. 14, had grown in popularity since Mary Church Terrell had started it in Washington in 1897. Dr. Woodson saw Negro History Week as a way to expand the celebration of these two men and encourage Americans to study the little-known history of an entire people.

Every year since 1928, Negro History Week, and later Black History Month, has centered on a theme. This year's theme is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.”

Growing alongside the Harlem Renaissance, Negro History Week uses every platform at its disposal to spread its message.

Dr. Woodson and his colleagues set an ambitious agenda for Negro History Week. They provided a K-12 teaching curriculum with photos, lesson plans and posters with important dates and biographical information. In an article published in 1932 titled “Negro History Week: The Sixth Year,” Dr. Woodson noted that some white schools were participating in the Negro History Week curriculums and that this had improved race relations. He and his colleagues also engaged the community at large with historical performances, banquets, lectures, breakfasts, beauty pageants and parades.

L.D. Reddick, a historian, heard “the father of Negro history” speak as a child in his hometown, Jacksonville, Fla. Everything about Dr. Woodson, he remembered, produced an effect that was “electric.” As Mr. Reddick wrote, “He handled himself well upon the platform, I thought, moving about very much like a skilled boxer: never hurried, never faltering, sparring skillfully for openings, driving his blows deftly.” Mr. Reddick, who would later collaborate with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his book about the Montgomery bus boycotts, marveled that Dr. Woodson was “easily ... the most impressive speaker that I had ever heard up to that time in my life.”

For rural schools, Dr. Woodson eventually introduced special kits for Negro History Week that could include a list of suggested reading material, speeches by and photos of famous African-Americans, and a play about Black history.

After gaining in renown, Negro History Week becomes Negro History Month and then Black History Month.

Dr. Woodson lectured often in West Virginia, and citizens in that state began celebrating what they called Negro History Month in the 1940s. Dr. Woodson’s organization, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, formed branches across the country and Negro History Clubs began to appear in high schools. By the time Dr. Woodson died in 1950, mayors across the country supported Negro History Week.

In the 1960s, growing political consciousness among Black college students led to a push for more opportunities to study Black history. In February 1969, students and educators at Kent State University proposed the first Black History Month — and celebrated it in February 1970.

President Gerald Ford supports Black History Month as an important element of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations.

In October 1974, just months after assuming the presidency following the resignation of Richard Nixon, Ford met with civil rights leaders, including Vernon Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height and Jesse Jackson. As The New York Times reported, the leaders were looking for the president to “make a ‘ringing reaffirmation’ of the nation’s commitment to racial justice and moral leadership.”

Less than two years later, in February 1976, Ford did just that. Drawing on the patriotic significance of the bicentennial he issued a statement on the importance of Black History Month to all Americans. “The last quarter-century has finally witnessed significant strides in the full integration of black people into every area of national life,” he said. “In celebrating Black History Month, we can take satisfaction from this recent progress in the realization of the ideal envisioned by our founding fathers. But, even more than this, we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Every president since Ronald Reagan has issued a Black History Month proclamation.

In 2021, President Biden made his first proclamation in support of Black History Month, announcing: “We do so because the soul of our Nation will be troubled as long as systemic racism is allowed to persist. It is corrosive. It is destructive. It is costly. We are not just morally deprived because of systemic racism, we are also less prosperous, less successful, and less secure as a Nation.”

Why does Black History Month in particular, and the study of Black history overall, still matter so much? “There’s no question that history is and continues to be a battleground. The origin stories that we tell matter a great deal for where we set the bar and how we set the bar going forward,” noted Professor Jones, of Johns Hopkins. “So when you talk about people like Carter G. Woodson, these are men who knew that if you don’t rewrite the history of Africans and people of African descent, if you don’t rewrite the history of the United States through the lens of Black history, if you don’t make that record and if you don’t make that case, there are [false] stories that will expand and go toward rationalizing and perpetuating racism, exclusion, marginalization and more.”

Produced by Rebecca Lieberman, Deanna Donegan, Jeremy Allen, Veronica Chambers, Marcelle Hopkins, Adam Sternbergh, Dodai Stewart and Amanda Webster.

Additional reporting by Lauren Messman.

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