A Century of Black History Commemorations Timeline

Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926, designating its observance in February to honor the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. This commemoration laid the foundation for what would later become Black History Month.

Frederick Douglass, ca. 1879. Photograph by George K. Warren, National Archives and Records Administration (public domain), via BlackPast.org.

Mary McLeod Bethune, then President of ASALH, is pictured with founder Dr. Carter G. Woodson and educator Lucy Harth Smith at the ASALH Annual Conference in Chicago, 1940, during the organization’s 25th Annual Conference.

Howard University / Moorland-Spingarn

After the passing of Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1950, ASALH’s mission has been sustained and advanced by a distinguished line of presidents whose leadership reflected scholarship, institutional growth, and community impact. Early presidents like George Cleveland Hall and Mary McLeod Bethune ensured continuity through the struggles of the Great Depression and World War II. Leaders such as Charles Harris Wesley, Lorenzo J. Greene, and Edgar Toppin strengthened ASALH’s scholarly foundation, while presidents who served in higher education and public life helped expand Black history curricula and public awareness. ASALH’s presidents — including Andrew Brimmer, who bridged academic and federal leadership, and more recent scholars like Daryl Michael Scott and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham — have carried Woodson’s vision into new eras of education, research, and national dialogue. Today, under the leadership of Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, ASALH continues to promote, preserve, and disseminate African American history for a global community, honoring a century-long tradition of “walking with giants.”

Charles H. Wesley — Historian, educator, and ASALH president who helped carry forward Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s legacy. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended legal segregation in public spaces and banned employment discrimination, marking a transformative moment in the struggle for racial equality and civil rights in the United States.

President Lyndon B. Johnson hands bill signing pen to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Others looking on include Dr. Rosa Gragg, Sen. Wayne Morse, Cong. Peter Rodino, Cong. Emanuel Celler, Cong. James Roosevelt and A. Philip Randolph. LBJ Presidential Library (Photo Archive) — Serial Number: A1030-17a (Yoichi Okamoto). Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

In 1970, Kent State University became a focal point of national student activism amid widespread opposition to the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. On May 4, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed student demonstrators, killing four students—Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder—and wounding nine others. The killings shocked the nation and marked a defining moment in the history of student protest, state violence, and dissent in the United States.

That same year, Black students and educators at Kent State played a critical role in advancing efforts to expand Negro History Week into a month-long observance. Through student advocacy, campus programming, and sustained organizing, they called for a fuller recognition of the depth, scope, and ongoing contributions of African American history and culture. This work reflected a broader national movement within Black studies and higher education and helped build momentum that ultimately contributed to the official federal recognition of Black History Month in 1976.

National Guard opening fire on Kent State University demonstrators, Ohio, USA, 1970. Glasshouse Images / Alamy (Image ID: E6DXB4).

Cheerleaders march the parade route during the historic Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago — the largest African American parade in the nation and a celebration of youth and community pride.

Chicago History Museum Archives

Beginning in 1996, U.S. presidents have formally issued annual proclamations recognizing Black History Month, reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to honoring the achievements, history, and contributions of African Americans. These proclamations build on decades of presidential support for Black History Month and continue a tradition of national recognition through the Executive Branch.

President Bill Clinton presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rosa Parks, 1996. Rosa Parks received the nation’s highest civilian honor during a White House ceremony, the same year U.S. presidents began issuing annual proclamations recognizing Black History Month. White House photograph, 1996 (Clinton Presidential Library)

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama hosted their first Black History Month celebration at the White House in February 2009, marking a historic milestone as the first African American First Family to do so. The event honored African American leaders, artists, educators, and community advocates, and underscored the Obama administration’s commitment to recognizing Black history as a central part of the American story. The celebration featured performances, remarks on the legacy of Black achievement, and reflections on the ongoing struggle for equality and opportunity in the United States.

White House Photo Office / NARA

The centennial year marks 100 years since the establishment of Negro History Week, honoring a century of scholarship, education, advocacy, and national observance while reaffirming the ongoing importance of protecting and advancing African American history.

Click here to read the 2026 Theme.