Black History Month Themes Through the Years

Photo of the statue "The Celebration,” a tribute to 3 pioneers & football icons that battled discrimination. Taken by Paulina Milde-Jachowska for Unsplash.

An educator and scholar, author and historian, Dr. Carter G. Woodson devoted his life to the preservation and education of Black history. His time spent pursuing higher education taught him that the official school curriculum was designed to uphold anti-Black sentiment, only contributing to the inequities in society.

He is most known for establishing Negro History Week in 1926, which led to the appointment of Black History Month that we celebrate (and often commercialize) today. Woodson chose the second week in February because it contained the birthdays of two major influences in Black life at the time: Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14).

He also founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an organization committed to “collecting records pertaining to Black America’s past and disseminate the truth about African American history” (“Willing to Sacrifice” Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History, and the Carter G. Woodson Home, NPS).

The organization was later renamed the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in 1973, and since, it has stewarded Black History Month by providing tools and resources for all to celebrate. They also choose the theme of Black History Month each year, the theme that we’ve echoed in our newsletter series since its start in 2020.

Here’s a list of the Black History Month themes since 1928.

1928 — Civilization: A World Achievement

1929 — Possibility of Putting Negro History in the Curriculum

1930 — Significant Achievements of the Negro

1931 — Neglected Aspects of Negro History

1932 — What George Washington Bicentennial Commission Fail to Do

1933 — Ethiopia Meets Error in Truth

1934 — Contribution of the Negro in Poetry, in Painting, in Sculpture and in Science

1935 — The Negro Achievements in Africa

1936 — African Background Outlined

1937 — American Negro History from the Time of Importation from Africa up to the Present Day

1938 — Special Achievements of the Race: Oratory, Drama, Music, Painting, Sculpture, Science and Inventions

1939 — Special Achievements of the Race: Religion, Education, Business, Architecture, Engineering, Innovation, Pioneering

1940 — Negro Labor

1941 — The Career of Frederick Douglass

1942 — The Negro in Democracy

1943 — The Negro in the Modern World

1944 — The Negro and the New Order

1945 — The Negro and Reconversion

1946 — Let Us Have Peace

1947 — Democracy Possible Only Through Brotherhood

1948 — The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

1949 — The Use of Spirituals in the Classroom

1950 — Outstanding Moments in Negro History

1951 — Eminent Negroes in World Affairs

1952 — Great Negro Educators (Teachers)

1953 — Negro History and Human Relations

1954 — Negro History: A Foundation for Integration

1955 — Negro History: A Contribution to America’s Intercultural Life

1956 — Negro History in an Era of Changing Human Relations

1957 — Negro History

1958 — Negro History: A Factor in Nationalism and Internationalism

1959 — Negro History: A Foundation for a Proud America

1960 — Strengthening America Through Education in Negro History and African Culture

1961 — Freedom and Democracy for the Negro after 100 years (1861-1961)

1962 — Negro History and a New Birth of Freedom

1963 — Negro History Evaluates Emancipation (1863-1963)

1964 — Negro History: A Basis for the New Freedom

1965 — Negro History: Freedom’s Foundation

1966 — Freedom from Racial Myths and Stereotypes Through Negro History

1967 — Negro History in the Home, School and the Community

1968 — The Centennial of the Fourteenth Amendment Afro-American History Week

1969 — Changing the Afro-American Image through History

1970 — 15th Amendment and Black America in the Century (1870-1970)

1971 — African Civilization and Culture: A Worthy Historical Background

1972 — African Art, Music, Literature; a Valuable Cultural Experience

1973 — Biography Illuminates the Black Experience

1974 — Helping America Understand

1975 — Fulfilling America’s Promise: Black History Month

1976 — America for All Americans

1977 — Heritage Days: The Black Perspective; the Third Century

1978 — Roots, Achievements and Projections

1979 — History: Torch for the future

1980 — Heritage for America

1981 — Black History: Role Model for Youth

1982 — Afro American Survival

1983 — Afro Americans in the United States

1984 — Afro Americans and Education

1985 — Afro American Family

1986 — Afro American Experience: International Connection

1987 — Afro Americans and the Constitution From Colonial Times to the Present

1988 — Constitutional Status of Afro-Americans in the 21st Century

1989 — Afro Americans and Religion

1990 — Seventy-Five Years of Scholarly Excellence: A Homage to Our Forebearers

1991 — Educating America: Black Universities and Colleges, Strengths and Crisis

1992 — African Roots Experience New Worlds, Pre-Columbus to Space Exploration

1993 — Afro-American Scholars: Leaders, Activists and Writers

1994 — Empowering Black Americans

1995 — Reflections on 1895: Douglass, Du Bois & Washington

1996 — Black Women

1997 — African Americans and Civil Rights; a Reprisal

1998 — Black Business

1999 — Legacy of African American Leadership for the Present and the Future

2000 — Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges for the 21st Century

2001 — Creating and Defining the African American Community: Family, Church Politics and Culture

2002 — The Color Line Revisited: Is Racism Dead?

2003 — The Souls of Black Folks: Centennial Reflections

2004 — Before Brown, Beyond Boundaries: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

2005 — The Niagara Movement: Black Protest Reborn, 1905-2005

2006 — Celebrating Community: A Tribute to Black Fraternal, Social and Civil Institutions

2007 — From Slavery to Freedom: Africans in the Americas

2008 — Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism

2009 — The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas

2010 — The History of Black Economic Empowerment

2011 — African Americans and the Civil War

2012 — Black Women in American Culture and History

2012 — President Barack Obama National Black History Month Proclamation

2013 — At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington

2014 — Civil Rights in America

2015 — A Century of Black Life, History and Culture

2016 — Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories

2017 – The Crisis in Black Education

2018 – African Americans in Times of War

2019 – Black Migrations

2020 – African Americans and the Vote

2021 – The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity

2022 – Black Health and Wellness

2023 – Black Resistance

2024 — African Americans and the Arts

2025 — African Americans and Labor

2026 — A Century of Black History Commemorations