Black History Month Centennial Spurs Education Push Amid White House Pushback
Advocates mark the 100th anniversary with nationwide curricula and a graphic novel about Opal Lee released Feb. 10.
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PeopleBlack History Month Explained: Who Started It, Why It's in February and More Facts You Should Know
ABC NewsBlack history centennial channels angst over anti-DEI climate into education, free resources
Associated PressBlack History Month centennial channels angst over anti-DEI climate into education, free resources
Overview
Campaign Zero and Afro Charities launched a Black History Month curriculum with more than 150 teachers to mark the 2026 centennial, organizers said.
President Donald Trump issued anti‑DEI executive orders and his administration removed a slavery exhibit at a national park, actions advocates say have chilled instruction of Black history.
DeRay Mckesson, executive director of Campaign Zero, said in an interview that "States and cities are nervous about retribution from the White House."
Angélique Roché wrote the graphic novel "First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth," scheduled for release Feb. 10, highlighting lesser‑known figures, the author said.
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History named "A Century of Black History Commemorations" its 2026 theme and said it will coordinate nationwide observances through February.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources are largely neutral: they foreground factual chronology (Woodson, Negro History Week, 1976 recognition), rely on sourced content for normative claims (e.g., ASAALH's warning about book bans), and note contemporary developments (Black Lives Matter, international observance) while avoiding sustained loaded language or selective omission.
FAQ
Black History Month originated from Negro History Week, established in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) to promote the teaching and commemoration of Black history.
The 2026 theme is 'A Century of Black History Commemorations,' marking 100 years since the first Negro History Week in 1926.
Campaign Zero and Afro Charities launched a Black History Month curriculum with over 150 teachers; Marshall University offers 34 online non-credit Black History courses; NYC Public Schools provides comics and reading resources.
'First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth' by Angélique Roché, releasing Feb. 10, highlights Opal Lee's activism for Juneteenth recognition and inspires youth with her 'committee of one' mantra.
Trump's anti-DEI executive orders and removal of a slavery exhibit have created a chilling effect, making states and cities nervous about White House retribution, according to advocates.
