Nearly a century ago, scholar Carter G. Woodson began an annual celebration of Black history, announcing, “We are going back to that beautiful history and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.”

While Woodson initially conceived of a weeklong event that coincided with the February birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (already celebrated in Black communities), his true vision was a celebration of Black history, art, and culture that was not contained to prominent individuals and designated weeks, but one that recognized the breadth of individuals within the Black community and their varied triumphs and struggles. 

The contributions and experiences of the Black community are not relics of history—they are the living bedrock of what we know of this country today, including its culture, economic growth, and development throughout history and across time. 

Along with the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP), Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP-HC) celebrates Black History Month and recognizes that the study of Black history and celebrations of Black culture should not be confined to a single page on the calendar. We care about the entire community and continuously work to ensure dignity and access to opportunity for all people. 

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Here are some resources, compiled by NCAP, to help you explore the achievements and contributions of Black and African American people throughout U.S. history.

• Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s Black History Month Virtual Festival
• National Museum of African American History & Culture: Art as a Platform for Social Justice
• National Association for State Community Services Programs’ Black History Month Series: Black Anti-Poverty Advocates You Should Know