Black History Month held during the month of February, celebrates the achievements of African Americans. The month is a recognition of the role of Black people in U.S. history. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also have a month to celebrate Black History. The reason Black History Month is celebrated during February is that it coincides with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and of Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which have been celebrated by the African American community since the late 19th century.

INTERESTING FACTS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

1. One in four cowboys was Black, sadly not a lot of people acknowledged this in movies or stories
2. Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin. There are many unknown stories such as Claudette Colvin’s. During March 2, 1955, 15-year-old, Claudette Colvin refused to move to the back of the bus. This happened nine months before Rosa Parks’ stand. When the bus driver ordered Claudette to get up, she refused, arrested and thrown in jail, she was one of four women who challenged the segregation law in court.
3. Black people make up the 2nd highest percentage of millionaires by number in the U.S.
4. Black people have spent 1.5 Trillion dollars in the U.S
5. Potato chips were invented
   1. Snacking just wouldn’t be the same if George Speck Crum hadn’t invented the potato chip. He was working at a restaurant that served french fries and a customer sent them back for being cut too thickly which upset Crum’s sister, so he cut them extra thin to anger the customer. But the customer ended up loving it and that’s when it started to become famous. After that, the customer started recommending it to his friends until it became so popular. That’s how the potato chip started to become famous.
6. The light bulb was invented
   1. In 1881, Latimer came up with the method to use carbon filaments, so that the bulb will light for hours instead of minutes. 

7. Open heart surgery

1. Even though Daniel H. Williams didn’t invent the procedure, he was the first surgeon to do it successfully!

8. The Traffic Light was invented,

imagine a world without traffic lights…

9. Ice cream scoop, aka the best invention

If you want to learn more about black culture in America, there are many museums you can go to such as the DuSable Museum, National Civil Rights Museum,  and the National Museum for African American History and Culture. Make sure to check them out if you want to learn more about the culture. These museums show the celebration and struggle the of what the culture has gone through. Black History Month is for all of us to learn and to show our appreciation towards the historical figures that shaped our nation.