Celebrating Black History Month

How do you celebrate Black History Month with your children? February is an excellent time for children to explore other cultures, but wouldn’t it be great for kids to be interested and excited about Black history, culture, and experiences throughout the year?

Perhaps one of the most important “do’s” is this: Don’t limit your teaching of Black history to the month of February. Instead, check out these learning resources to get started in February and plan how to include Black history in your teaching throughout the academic year.

•  Look for books that are inclusive and reflect the diversity of our communities. Buy a book by a Black author or illustrator. Books help illustrate that diversity is a natural part of everyday life. Here is a recommended curated list. 
• Give children simple, concrete explanations when they have questions about differences. PBS offers well-thought-out ways to talk about race and racial justice with our youngest learners. 
• Teaching your students about Black History
  • PBS- Black History Month
  • The Center for Racial Justice in Education has resources to use throughout the school year, including those that celebrate Black History Month, tools that highlight the underrepresentation of Black stories and experiences in schools, how and why to bring attention to equality and racial justice movements, and more.
  •  The African American History Month‘s resources allow educators to browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides, and research aids.
  • Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching Black History

Use Black History Month as a starting point to introduce children to more books that reflect other cultures and ethnicities but celebrate Black history and cultural diversity all year long.