Black History Month is considered one of the nation's oldest organized history celebrations, and has been recognized by U.S. presidents for decades through proclamations and celebrations. Here is all about the history of Black History Month. Woodson's original idea for Negro History Week was for it to be a time for student showcases of the African-American history they learned the rest of the year, not as the only week black history would be discussed, Scott said. The civil rights and Black Power movement advocated for an official shift from Black History Week to Black History Month, Scott said, and, in 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Negro History Week, the Association for the Study of African American History made the shift to Black History Month. The next year, in 1976, Ford issued the first Black History Month commemoration, saying with the celebration "we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Source: India Today February 02, 2017 11:45 UTC