Black History Month 2026

February is Black History Month, and we invite you to observe the achievements of African Americans in U.S. history. Read President Donald Trump's remarks in this year's Black History Month Proclamation .

This year’s theme for Black History Month 2026, chosen by The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), is "A Century of Black History Commemorations." This year marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month's origins, and focuses on the meaning and impact of its history and celebrations on identity, equality, and Black lives in America. Beginning with Carter G. Woodson's creation of Negro History Week in 1926, his idea became a massive educational and cultural movement, and in 1976, Negro History Week was extended to a month-long celebration to coincide with the nation’s bicentennial. In subsequent years, presidents have continued to share messages honoring Black History Month, and in 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244 officially designating February as National Black History Month.

• Search the Congressional Record to see commemoration and honor remarks related to Black History Month.
• Take a look at H. Doc. 118-16 - Black Americans in Congress 1870 - 2022, to see a comprehensive history of the 175 African Americans who served in the United States Congress during those years.
• Check out GovInfo's previously featured Black History Month articles.

Related Resources

• The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. Check out their collaboration on the website "February is Black History Month" for additional resources.
• See the National Park Service's (NPS) website to see "The Untold Stories" for a list of National Park sites that perhaps were not the primary purpose for the park's founding, but celebrate and honor the African American Stories within their boundaries and communities.
• Read about the history and early preservation efforts of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, on the NPS's website . Their initial purpose was to collect materials and documents that record the history and achievements of Black women. Over the years, their mission has expanded to lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families, and communities.