Black History Month

Black History Month

black history month
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Black History Month

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

The teaching of black history was deemed essential to the survival of race within the broader society. Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the Black United Students at Kent University in February 1969. It was first celebrated in 1970 by President Ford when he recognized Black History Month during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial.

The LWVDE celebrates this month with a brief look into the recent rise of a young poet, Amanda Gorman. Her poem, The Hill We Climb, written and read for the inauguration of President Joe Biden shares her brilliance as a black young poet who all should admire and be thankful for her poetic genius.

In an interview with the New York Times, she stated:

In my poem, I’m not going to in any way gloss over what we’ve seen over the past few weeks and, dare I say, the past few years. But what I really aspire to do in the poem is to be able to use my words to envision a way in which our country can still come together and can still heal. It’s doing that in a way that is not erasing or neglecting the harsh truths I think America needs to reconcile with.

Amanda Gorman  Amanda Gorman Resources

      • Amanda Gorman's on inauguration day, January 20, 2021

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      • A dramatic reading of The Hill We Climb at Time.com. This link also includes her interview with Michelle Obama on February 2, 2021.

      • Lesson of the Day: Amanda Gorman and ‘The Hill We Climb.’ In this lesson, students learn about the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history and consider her work as part of a tradition of occasional poetry.
      • Amanda's Biography - Amanda S. C. Gorman (born 1998) is an American poet and activist. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.
      • TED Talk by Amanda Gorman - For anyone who believes poetry is stuffy or elitist, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman has some characteristically well-chosen words. According to Amanda, poetry is for everyone, because at its core it's all about connection and collaboration. In this fierce Talk, Amanda explains why poetry is inherently political (in the best way!), she pays homage to her honorary ancestors, and she stresses the value of speaking out despite your fears. "Poetry has never been the language of barriers, it's always been the language of bridges." 
         

      • Amanda Gorman's website - Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, as well as an award-winning writer and cum laude graduate of Harvard University, where she studied Sociology.
      • The Hill We Climb - The entire poem. An inaugural poem is a poem read at a Presidential inauguration. It may also be categorized as an occasional poem. 
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Delaware