Black Heritage Month has not always been a month long event celebrated by mainstream American society.  Black Heritage Month started as "Negro History Week" by the Director and Founder of an organization called The Association of Negro Life and History.  Dr. Carter G. Woodson started "Negro History Week" in February 1926 in the local Washington D. C. and Baltimore School systems.  The week- long celebration was dedicated to Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.

The major purpose of this February celebration is to examine the rich history and cultures developed by people of African decent and to defend Black humanity while fighting racism.   Dr. Woodson encouraged teachers to exhibit artifacts, pictures, books and supplement curriculum that detailed Black contributions to American and global societies.
In 1976, the Bicentennial Year, the now called Association of African American Life and History ratified changing the week-long celebration to a month long activity that is recognized nationwide. Various organizations including major corporations, government agencies, and institutions of higher learning have sponsored many programs throughout the month of February.  These various organizations recognized the positive contributions made by people of African decent and have developed constructive activities that disseminate materials on the African Diaspora to the public.

  We encourage the support of the community to help us plan and celebrate this time-honored activity that was started decades ago.  We will continue to highlight the significant contributions Africans have made to this society and world civilization.  Please forward any suggestion you may have about programing activities for the February Black Heritage Month celebration to the Brazoria County Black Heritage Committee.