Americans celebrated the first day of Black History Month this year on Feb. 1. It is a national commemoration celebrated in the United States every year, observing the effects Black Americans have had on the nation and the overall people of America  

Created first as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month has since become an entire month to appreciate all that Black Americans and their culture have done for this country.  

Woodson was a scholar who dedicated his life to celebrating Black people’s contributions leading to the establishment of Black History Month. He believed that Black people should be proud of their heritage and everyone in America should understand their impact.  

He founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915. Since its inception, it has promoted the study of African American history year-round. 

February was chosen to commemorate the birthdays of two historical figures who helped shape black history, Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. Lincoln was the 16th U.S. president who issued the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that all enslaved people were free. 

Douglass was arguably one of the most important figures in the African American civil rights movement in the 19th century and was a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York.  

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, urging all Americans to recognize the important contribution made to our nation’s life and culture by black citizens. Every president since then has designated February as Black History Month and has given it a theme. This year, it is “African Americans and Labor.”. 

The 2025 theme focuses on the various ways that work of all kinds intersect with the collective experiences of Black Americans. Work is at the very center of Black history and culture. This theme sets out to highlight and celebrate the impact of this work.  

“A yearly repetition of Black History Month encourages continued dialogue about Black struggles and challenges, highlights Black successes and ensures that history isn’t erased,” said Chika Unigwe, Ph.D, interim coordinator of MFA and Undergraduate Creative Writing Program. 

The GCSU Black Student Alliance is an organization that aims to promote diversity and bring students of all backgrounds together. The objective of the BSA is to enrich the understanding of African American culture and enhance the educational experience.  

 “I think the yearly commemoration of black history month is important because it shines a lot on all that black culture has given to the world,” said Kenda Williams, a senior exercise science major. “It also allows younger generations to understand their culture and hear stories that may not be told during other months. I remember as a kid, the first and only times I would ever hear about black history leaders like MLK, Rosa Parks or Harriet Tubman was during black history month.”  

 GCSU’s The HUB, which stands for Honoring, Uniting, Building, strives to unite and honor all the identities of the campus while challenging oppression through support. It is home to the Cultural Center, the LGBTQIA+ Center and the Women’s Center. The Cultural Center works closely with BSA to integrate diversity into the community and the university. 

 “Despite African American’s origins here in the U.S., we have transcended and continue to thrive amongst all of the conditions that have been put in place and are being put in place to prohibit such, and that alone deserved to be acknowledged and celebrated, especially among African Americans,” said Jasmine Kelly, associate director of Student Inclusion and Belonging. 

 Representation has become important in media and real life for all cultures. It gives people of all races and cultures a place to see themselves in. 

“Being from the Atlanta area I grew up seeing black people not only survive but thrive,” Kelly said. “I am accustomed to seeing black people in leadership. I do believe that you cannot be what you cannot see and it’s important for black people to understand that other black people have the capability and have always had the capability to experience joy and not only survive but to thrive like we have always done.”