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.

The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent.

The theme for Black History month 2023 will be Black Resistance. The theme explores how “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial programs, and police killings.”

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OUR PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Ruler of Nations, we thank You for the countless underserved blessings that You have showered on our country. Individually and as a nation, for we have sinned often and grievously.

Give us faith instead of unbelief, courage instead of fear, love instead of hate, peace instead of confusion and fighting, and righteousness instead of sin. We have indeed deserved nothing but punishment for our sins, but in your great mercy be gracious to us, restore us, bless us and hear our prayer! In the name of Jesus, Change us Oh Lord! Amen!