How to Celebrate African American History
Decide who will celebrate African American history with you., Celebrate African American history by studying major influences and historical events., Download videos or photographs of important moments in African American history., Plan a poetry and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide who will celebrate African American history with you.
Many teachers make lesson plans for their classes, and communities and individuals create events to help remember important people and events.
As with the study of any historical topics, if you choose your celebration based on the age of your participants, it is more likely that you will find subjects that they can understand and find interesting. -
Step 2: Celebrate African American history by studying major influences and historical events.
For a classroom, these background lessons are essential to identifying the major struggles and victories of African Americans.
Lead your celebration by researching a few of the following subjects:
Discuss the economic factors that led to slavery.
Other countries to study include Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, and colonies in the West Indies and Africa.
Establish the rise, height and fall of the triangle trade and the factors that led Africa to be chosen as a main depot for the slave trade.
Discuss education and segregation in African American history.
Study the Brown vs.
Board of Education ruling that ended segregation in America's schools.
Ask what challenges there were and still are in removing segregation in schools.
Discuss political issues and laws in African American history.
Your research can include the Civil War, Jim Crow laws, Plessy vs.
Ferguson, the Supreme Court's Dred Scott case, the Civil Rights Bill and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Also, include efforts by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People throughout the 20th and 21st century.
Discuss civil unrest from the underground railroad to 20th century civil rights protests.
There is a rich history of protest that includes sit-down protests in the south, non-violent protests, riots, Rosa Parks, the Million Man March and today's efforts by the NAACP.
Other possible topics include Barack Obama being elected as the first African American president, African American cultural topics like food, family and song, violence against African Americans, African Americans in sports, modern challenges, and much more. , For earlier lessons, such as the transatlantic slave trade, American plantations and Jim Crow laws, you can find illustrations and videos at the HistoryChannel.com or Smithsonian.com.
For later studies, you can order videos of Dr.
Martin Luther King's speeches, Civil Rights protests, and more.
Visual representations of historical imagery can help people to bring important moments to life.
Some people are visual learners who will take more from videos and photographs than from reading texts. , Ask everyone to choose a poem, essay, speech or story by an African American artist of the past or future.
Schedule a date, time and location that everyone can attend.
Possible reading choices include Langston Hughes, W.E.B.
DuBois, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Phillis Wheatley and Malcolm X.
The oldest known piece of African American literature is "Bars Fight," by Lucy Terry. , You can rent films that include famous actors like Bert Williams, Lena Horne, Hattie McDaniel, Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier.
You can also include modern films by Spike Lee or modern critical successes starring actors like Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Morgan Freeman. , Start with songs of slavery, sung during long days working plantations.
Move toward the rise of jazz, rhythm and blues and hip hop.
Encourage people to sing along to the music.
Invite local jazz bands to perform famous pieces from African Americans' long list of contributions to modern music. , These celebrations often include meetings, educational speeches, films, television specials and more.
Not all African American leaders are in favor of setting aside an African American history month.
Discuss with children, friends or family why this celebration might be seen as an impediment to social progress. , Schools, speaking clubs, political groups and more often ask historians, civil rights activists and writers to give an in-depth look at a little-known aspect of African American history or culture.
Encourage a discussion of the topic after the lecture.
This will lead to critical thinking about African American history. , Print off recipes and arrange a potluck.
Ask everyone to explain the historical journey that each dish took.
Rice, okra, turnips and other foods were traditionally used in West African cuisine, whereas cornmeal, pig, greens and some spices were from the Americas and were incorporated early on in slave and southern plantation cuisine. , For older kids, ask them to complete quizzes for prizes.
For younger students, use coloring books, matching games, songs and memory games to learn about history in a fun, festive way. , Putting together a presentation that explains your state's role in African American history can make an impact on the local community. -
Step 3: Download videos or photographs of important moments in African American history.
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Step 4: Plan a poetry and essay reading with famous African American literati or civil rights leaders.
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Step 5: Watch African Americans in film.
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Step 6: Listen to African American music from the 1800s to present day.
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Step 7: Organize or attend African American History Month celebrations during February.
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Step 8: Invite a historian or speaker to give a detailed lecture about an aspect of African American history.
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Step 9: Research African influences in modern American cuisine.
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Step 10: Create games based on African American topics.
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Step 11: Research and speak about a civil rights leader in your area or state.
Detailed Guide
Many teachers make lesson plans for their classes, and communities and individuals create events to help remember important people and events.
As with the study of any historical topics, if you choose your celebration based on the age of your participants, it is more likely that you will find subjects that they can understand and find interesting.
For a classroom, these background lessons are essential to identifying the major struggles and victories of African Americans.
Lead your celebration by researching a few of the following subjects:
Discuss the economic factors that led to slavery.
Other countries to study include Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, and colonies in the West Indies and Africa.
Establish the rise, height and fall of the triangle trade and the factors that led Africa to be chosen as a main depot for the slave trade.
Discuss education and segregation in African American history.
Study the Brown vs.
Board of Education ruling that ended segregation in America's schools.
Ask what challenges there were and still are in removing segregation in schools.
Discuss political issues and laws in African American history.
Your research can include the Civil War, Jim Crow laws, Plessy vs.
Ferguson, the Supreme Court's Dred Scott case, the Civil Rights Bill and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Also, include efforts by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People throughout the 20th and 21st century.
Discuss civil unrest from the underground railroad to 20th century civil rights protests.
There is a rich history of protest that includes sit-down protests in the south, non-violent protests, riots, Rosa Parks, the Million Man March and today's efforts by the NAACP.
Other possible topics include Barack Obama being elected as the first African American president, African American cultural topics like food, family and song, violence against African Americans, African Americans in sports, modern challenges, and much more. , For earlier lessons, such as the transatlantic slave trade, American plantations and Jim Crow laws, you can find illustrations and videos at the HistoryChannel.com or Smithsonian.com.
For later studies, you can order videos of Dr.
Martin Luther King's speeches, Civil Rights protests, and more.
Visual representations of historical imagery can help people to bring important moments to life.
Some people are visual learners who will take more from videos and photographs than from reading texts. , Ask everyone to choose a poem, essay, speech or story by an African American artist of the past or future.
Schedule a date, time and location that everyone can attend.
Possible reading choices include Langston Hughes, W.E.B.
DuBois, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, Phillis Wheatley and Malcolm X.
The oldest known piece of African American literature is "Bars Fight," by Lucy Terry. , You can rent films that include famous actors like Bert Williams, Lena Horne, Hattie McDaniel, Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier.
You can also include modern films by Spike Lee or modern critical successes starring actors like Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Morgan Freeman. , Start with songs of slavery, sung during long days working plantations.
Move toward the rise of jazz, rhythm and blues and hip hop.
Encourage people to sing along to the music.
Invite local jazz bands to perform famous pieces from African Americans' long list of contributions to modern music. , These celebrations often include meetings, educational speeches, films, television specials and more.
Not all African American leaders are in favor of setting aside an African American history month.
Discuss with children, friends or family why this celebration might be seen as an impediment to social progress. , Schools, speaking clubs, political groups and more often ask historians, civil rights activists and writers to give an in-depth look at a little-known aspect of African American history or culture.
Encourage a discussion of the topic after the lecture.
This will lead to critical thinking about African American history. , Print off recipes and arrange a potluck.
Ask everyone to explain the historical journey that each dish took.
Rice, okra, turnips and other foods were traditionally used in West African cuisine, whereas cornmeal, pig, greens and some spices were from the Americas and were incorporated early on in slave and southern plantation cuisine. , For older kids, ask them to complete quizzes for prizes.
For younger students, use coloring books, matching games, songs and memory games to learn about history in a fun, festive way. , Putting together a presentation that explains your state's role in African American history can make an impact on the local community.
About the Author
Laura Cruz
Laura Cruz is an experienced writer with over 5 years of expertise in lifestyle and practical guides. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Laura creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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