Black History Month is celebrated each year in February and is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the heritage, culture, and accomplishments of Black Americans, while also recognizing the on-going struggles faced within these communities in the United States. Learning Black history widens our understanding of the past and encourages action for inclusion and equality in the present.
Origins of Black History Month
Black History Month, originally created to be a weeklong celebration, was initiated by historian and author Carter G. Woodson under the original name “Negro History Week.” After Woodson’s passing, Omega Psi Phi fraternity, for which Woodson was a member, pushed for the week to not only be celebrated but extended in to a month-long celebration. President Gerald Ford became the first president to officially recognize the month in 1976.
As we celebrate Black History Month both on campus and off, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Belonging encourages everyone to engage in various programs and resources this month.
Programs On Campus:
- Say IT Loud! Trivia Challenge hosted by the Sankofa Affinity Network
- Feb. 18, 2026, 12:45 p.m.
- Private Dining Room, University Commons
- Come by yourself or bring a team
- BSU Fashion Show
- Feb. 28, 2026, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
- Lincoln Theatre
Programs off Campus:
- African Necklace
- Feb. 4, 2026, 2 p.m.–3 p.m.
- Barbour Library, Hartford Public Library
- Join us to make an African necklace. If interested, please call Irene to register, 860.695.7401.
- Community Mural: Celebrating Black History Month
- Feb. 6, 2026, 10a.m.–4 p.m.
- Albany Library, Hartford Public Library
- In celebration of Black History Month, adults are invited to take part in a collaborative community mural at the library.
- Gathering the Past for the Future: Curating the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (BPL Virtual Program)
- Feb. 17, 2026, 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
- Sign Up Here
- Black History Month Film and Discussion: Sinners (BPL Program @ Prosser)
- Feb. 26, 2026, 5 p.m.–8 p.m.
- 1 Tunxis Ave. Bloomfield, CT 06002-0337
- Sign Up Here
- Black Business Expo
- Feb. 28, 2026, 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
- Town Hall Auditorium, West Hartford
Resources:
Articles:
- Black History Month at the Smithsonian
- 8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier |History.com
- 12 Key Figures in Black History: Photos |History.com
Videos:
- 5 Lesser-Known Figures in Black History you Should Know |History.com
- History Of | History of Black History Month |The History Channel
- Martin Luther King Jr. on Overcoming fear | BBC Global
Movies:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013)
- Director: Steve McQueen
- Fences (2016)
- Director: Denzel Washington
- Get Out (2017)
- Director: Jordan Peele
- Hidden Figures (2016)
- Director: Theodore Melfi
- Malcolm X (1992)
- Director: Spike Lee
- Moonlight (2016)
- Director: Barry Jenkins
- Selma (2014)
- Director: Ava DuVernay
Questions/Comments? Contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at OIEB@hartford.edu.