black history week activities

Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers

We Are Teachers

34 Black History Month Activities for February and Beyond

Honor our shared history with activities for the entire classroom.

We know that Black history is American history and needs to be embedded into your classroom experiences year-round. At the same time, Black History Month provides the necessary opportunity to dig deeper with students. Every February, we can support students as they learn more, discover cultural impacts, and follow social movements from the past to the present day. These Black History Month lessons and activities cannot be isolated or one-off classroom experiences. Think of how you can connect these topics to what you’re already doing and make it authentic. And most important, do not just focus on oppression: Focus on the joy too!

Since 1928, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History has provided a theme for Black History Month. In 2023, the theme is Black Resistance . As you review some of our favorite Black History Month activities for the classroom, keep that very important theme in mind.

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1. Re-create civil rights freedom movement posters

SOURCE: Civil Rights Movement Veterans

The Civil Rights Movement Veterans site offers powerful examples of freedom movement posters, as does the Civil Rights Digital Library . Review them with your students, and then have them get into groups and create their own to share.

2. Explore Black history through primary sources from the National Archives

SOURCE: National Archives

Choose from thousands of resources , including this 1970s photo series of Chicago.

3. Learn about famous Black artists

5 African-American Artists Who Inspire My Students' Creativity

Future Jacob Lawrences and Elizabeth Catletts will appreciate learning more about artists and expanding their talents! Plus, check out these other Black artists .

4. Watch a Black History Month video

Collage of video stills from videos for Black History Month

Watching videos can be some of the most meaningful Black History Month classroom activities. Check out this list of Black history videos for students in every grade level.

5. Learn about the Black Lives Matter movement

SOURCE: Black Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter site explains the group’s history while books like Dear Martin and The Hate U Give explore the movement from a fictional perspective.

6. Create a newsletter or magazine with content from Black authors

Have your students generate their own newsletter or literacy magazine to distribute to parents. Include poems and short stories by Black authors, as well as student-generated writings and images that center on Black History Month.

7. Read a Black History Month poem

To enhance our conversations this month, we’ve put together this list of powerful Black History Month poems for kids of all ages.

8. Turn your classroom (or school!) into a living museum

Have your students choose a notable Black pioneer they’d like to know more about, such as voting rights and women’s rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, dancer Alvin Ailey, or Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest full-time national parks ranger . Then, host a living museum right in your classroom.

9. Learn about Madam C.J. Walker and other Black entrepreneurs

black and white photograph of Madam CJ Walker

Do you know about Madam C.J. Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in America? Click here to learn more about her!

10. Decorate your classroom door for Black History Month

These teachers decorated their classroom doors in amazing ways to showcase Black History Month.

11. Honor some of the military’s most courageous veterans

From the 54th Massachusetts to the Buffalo Soldiers to the Tuskegee Airmen , Black men and women have long served in the United States military , even when their own rights weren’t secure.

12. Read books with Black characters in honor of the young hero Marley Dias

Marley Dias lying atop books with Black female characters

SOURCE: GrassROOTS Community Foundation

Dias is a young activist who started the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign as a sixth grader. She has compiled an excellent guide to books with Black girl characters . Check out WeAreTeacher’s list of books with Black protagonists as well.

13. Read Black History Month books

Example of Black History Month books, including Young, Gifted and Black and The Undefeated.

If you’re looking for more reading activities, these picture books help celebrate Black History Month and educate your students on how these people helped shape history.

14. Learn about the art of stepping

SOURCE: Step Afrika!

Stepping is a form of dancing in which the body itself is used to create unique rhythms and sounds. The website Step Afrika! has videos and information about the history of stepping.

15. Take a virtual trip to the illustrious Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Black and white photo from the Emmett Till Project

SOURCE: Emmett Till Project

The digital collections of the Schomburg Center, located in Harlem in New York City, feature some amazing online exhibits, interviews, and podcasts.

16. Virtually visit the incredible Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

Photo of Black women from the Smithsonian collection

SOURCE: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

You can browse the collection online by topic, date, or place.

17. Host a poetry reading featuring works by Black poets

Have students choose a poem by a Black poet to learn and recite for the class. Choose a student to serve as the emcee, write up a program, and set the tone with dimmed lights and jazz music played between performances. The Poetry Foundation has excellent resources that can help get you started.

18. Discuss the Supreme Court trial that gave rights to Black Americans

hurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice -- 20 Fresh Ideas and Activities for Black History Month

Source: ThurgoodMarshall.com

Your future legal eagles will enjoy learning about the key Supreme Court cases that helped Blacks secure rights, the events and efforts that sparked the cases, and the aftermath of those court decisions. Be sure to recognize Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice and the lead lawyer in the Brown case, along the way. Also, follow up with students on how they feel these decisions impact our world today.

19. Listen to a podcast that celebrates Black history

Witness Black History Podcast -- 30 Fresh Ideas and Activities for Black History Month

Source: RadioPublic

RadioPublic has an excellent roundup of podcasts about Black history to listen to and discuss with your students.

20. Check out online exhibits on Black history

Online classroom exhibits for Black History Month

Source: Smithsonian

Educating yourself and your students with these shows is one more way to understand Black history and the current moment.

21. Dive into Georgia Stories: Black History Collection on PBS

As a state, Georgia played a huge role in the 2020 presidential election, and its Black history dates back to the earliest days of slavery in the colony.

22. Discuss implicit bias, systemic racism, and social injustice

Classroom lessons on Race, Racism, and Police Violence

Source: Teaching Tolerance

Start a much-needed discussion around implicit bias and systemic racism with these resources that can empower students to fight for justice in our society.

23. Read the Freedom in Congo Square picture book to celebrate the dominance of spirit over suffering

Freedom in Congo Square book for Black History lessons

Source: Amazon

The award-winning picture boo, Freedom in Congo Square , is a nonfiction children’s book that describes the tyranny of slavery to help young readers understand how jubilant Sundays would be for slaves.

24. Watch Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History

Netflix website screenshot for Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History

Kevin Hart highlights the fascinating contributions of Black history’s unsung heroes in this entertaining—and educational—comedy special.

25. Recognize Black visionaries

African American Visionaries classroom poster

Source: Education.com

This great poster featuring activists, artists, authors, and revolutionaries will highlight Black change-makers in your classroom. Use companion activities to deepen understanding by researching several of the visionaries and asking students to write a story or create their own poster about what they’ve learned.

26. Create a Black History Month playlist

Screenshot of Spotify's Black History Month playlist

Many genres of music we listen to today were shaped by Black artists and their groundbreaking influences. Celebrate Black History Month with a playlist of pivotal artists, from Louis Armstrong and Jimi Hendrix to Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill. Spotify has ready-made lists to inspire you!

27. Review the time line of Black History Month

Source: History.com

Why is Black History Month in February? How long ago was it founded, and who started it? Find the answers to these questions and learn more with this time line .

28. Explore the music of Black history

The history of African American music lesson plans for classroom

Source: Edsitement.com

This lesson traces the long histor y of how Black artists have used music as a vehicle for communicating beliefs, aspirations, observations, joy, despair, resistance, and more across U.S. history.

29. Sample Black-founded snack brands

Examples of a variety of black-founded snack foods

Honor Black History Month with delicious snacks from Black-founded brands delivered to your classroom—5% of proceeds are donated to the Equal Justice Initiative and one meal is donated to Feeding America for every box delivered.

30. Understand the role of Black women in NASA’s history

Screenshot of Black History Month movie on Amazon

How much do your students know about Black contributions to space exploration? Rent the film Hidden Figures and watch with your students to remember, honor, and share the incredible accomplishments of three Black women working on NASA’s space flight program. Before watching the movie, research the liberties the film took in telling the story and discuss with your students the function of the choices. Did the filmmakers make the right choice?

31. Support local Black-owned businesses

Research your city’s Black-owned businesses and see if you can purchase a sample of their products, invite some of the entrepreneurs to speak to your class, or book a field trip!

32. Stream Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices on Netflix

illustrations of a diverse range of family structures and their kids with the title Bookmarks written across the front.

“ Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices is a live-action collection of twelve five-minute episodes featuring prominent Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books from Black authors that highlight the Black experience.”

33. Check out this planner from Rethinking Schools

Cover of this year's "Planning to Change the World" planner

If you are looking to find more ways to include Black history year-round, check out this planner.

34. Celebrate the “Black Lives Matter at School” movement

Screenshot of homepage of Black Lives Matter at School movement website

“Black Lives Matter at School” is a national coalition organized for racial justice in education. It encourages all educators, students, parents, unions, and community organizations to join an annual week of action during the first week of February each year. For a variety of Black History Month activities, visit their website to learn more about their campaign .

Plus, check out these inspirational Black History Month bulletin boards for your classroom .

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Celebrate art, poetry, music, inventions, and contributions of African Americans with these Black History Month activities.

There is no link for item #34, Explore the music of Black History. It says, “This lesson,” so I’m wondering if there was supposed to be a link. Thanks so much for sharing all of these ideas, and please let me know if there’s a link that can be shared for this lesson.

The lesson is there under the image, it’s just in small font!

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Lesson Plans

Classroom resources for black history month.

January 31, 2023

Full Lesson

Commemorate Black History Month in your classroom with lesson plans and resources that cover topics ranging from civil rights events to discussions about race in current events. These lessons are appropriate for history, ELA and social studies classrooms, and include resources for students in middle or high school.

The March on Washington basic resources | Resources

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This resource page includes a quick guide to the March on Washington, an interactive timeline of the civil rights movement and a glossary of terms. Use these to get started on your classroom curriculum.

A history of discrimination and its consequences | Lesson Plan

In this lesson for middle and high school students, students analyze what “The American Dream” means and what role racial discrimination may play in failing to attain that dream.

“I have a dream” speech as a visionary text | Lesson Plan

Help your students connect to the rich imagery of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech by learning the history of the speech and then illustrating some of its most famous lines in this creative lesson plan.

“I have a dream” as a work of literature | Lesson Plan

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s delivered his most memorable speech, “I Have a Dream,” on August 28, 1963 before more than 200,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The Harlem Renaissance | Lesson Plan

Students will learn about the social, cultural and political circumstances which gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance. They will also learn about the influences that inspired the work of the Harlem Renaissance’s artists and musicians. Finally, students will be given several opportunities to create their own Harlem Renaissance inspired work.

Racial equality — How far have we come and how far do we still need to go? | Lesson Plan

Martin Luther King., Jr. dreamed of an America where people could “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Use this lesson plan to start a discussion in your classroom about where we are on the path to realizing this dream.

History of Juneteenth and why it’s set to become a national holiday | Lesson Plan

Explore and discuss the history and context around the Juneteenth holiday in the United States. Topics explored will include the history of racial injustice in the U.S., the Civil War and the limitations of the Emancipation Proclamation. Additionally, students will be encouraged to explore the modern significance of Juneteenth and its long-term impact.

Explore art and movement inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s Migration series | Lesson Plan

Have students engage in a “close reading” of a timeless Jacob Lawrence painting through art-making, observation and analysis, and learn about the history of the Great Migration in the process.

Teaching About Selma | Lessons and Resources from Teaching for Change

Try out these interactive lessons and recommended resources from Teaching for Change that invite students to step into the history and think critically and creatively about the continued fight for justice today.

Introduction to Selma | Lesson Plan

Help introduce and engage students in the story of the March from Selma to Montgomery with clips from the film, “Selma”, courtesy of Paramount Pictures. In the main activity, students will be asked to view three short videos about the March and critically think about the audience, message, and stereotypes seen.

Discrimination — fair or unfair? | Lesson Plan

Make issues of fairness, justice and discrimination personal to your students with this lesson plan, which includes an activity with Dr. Seuss! This lesson is designed for students for students who have difficulty with verbal or written expression.

Leadership at the March through music and speeches | Lesson Plan

While Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech became the most famous of the March on Washington, he was by no means to only person to address the massive crowd assembled on the National Mall. Use this lesson plan to look at the other civil rights leaders and orators who spoke that day and how effectively they conveyed their messages.

The March on Washington and its impact | Lesson Plan

380887 08: Over two hundred thousand people gather in front of the Lincoln Memorial August 28, 1963, during a rally in support of civil rights legislation. (photo by National Archive/Newsmakers)

In this lesson plan, students compare King’s “I Have a Dream” speech to other famous texts in American history, including the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. This is a great addition to any speech, English or history class.

Analyzing “Stop and Frisk” through personal narratives and infographics | Lesson Plan

This Common Core-aligned lesson helps students explore the New York City’s “stop, question and frisk” program through videos, graphics and a news article. An engaging introduction creates a foundation to help students understand infographics and their utility as a cross-curricular tool.

Remembering Nelson Mandela | Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will use text from Mandela’s autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom” to connect with Mandela’s life and words. It also contains a 20-minute video from the PBS NewsHour to help students understand the magnitude of his life.

The Trials of Muhammad Ali | Discussion Guide

Use this trailer and discussion guide to pique students’ interest in the story of Muhammad Ali, who was both an athlete and a defender of human rights. You can purchase the film on iTunes, but it is not recommended for class use due to language and some mature content unless it has been approved by you and your school to use in the classroom.

Student Reporting Labs “Race and Change” videos | Resource

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Use this dynamic resource to get students thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr. and whether his dream has been accomplished today. These 12 high school students are part of PBS NewsHour’s Student Reporting Labs and come from around the country.

Recent Topics

Lesson plan: The March on Washington and its Impact

Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech and explore themes such as the social conditions in the U.S. that led to the Civil Rights Movement

Lesson plan: Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech as a work of literature

Students will study Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and discuss the literary influences on King's speech

Lesson plan: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech as visual text

Examine why the speech was a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement through a visual drawing or illustration

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From our blog

10 Inspiring Black History Month Activities for Students

Smiling teacher leading an engaging class of students on black history.

7 Black History Month topic ideas

Guidelines for teaching during black history month, 10 black history month activities for your students.

February is Black History Month : the celebration of African American history, contributions, and achievements that’s recognized annually across the United States and Canada.

For teachers, it’s a great opportunity to teach with intention, honoring the tradition and showing students its importance, along with the importance of Black history and culture.

And this year, it's more important than ever to uphold this tradition and celebrate Black history — no matter where your students are learning.

Use these 10 activity ideas to teach Black history all month and keep your students engaged, whether they're in-class or online!

Typically, teachers tend to stick with the same few topics during Black History Month: civil rights, historical Black leaders or celebrities, and important milestones.

While these are still great topics to explore, there are also plenty of other important concepts you should consider introducing to your students this year, such as:

For Black History Month 2022, this year's theme is Black Health and Wellness. People are encouraged to explore how North American healthcare has underserved the black community and recognize the contributions to medicine and healthcare by black people.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Firsties♥️Ms. Salamak (@fur_babies_and_firsties)

When teaching Black history, remember to:

P.S. If you want to help parents talk about Black history and racial issues with their kids at home, use these 8 tips for parents as a helpful resource to start with — including additional resources for anyone who wants to learn more.

Use these activities throughout the month (and the rest of the year) to keep Black history at the forefront of your lessons and encourage your students to keep learning more.

1. Quote or fact of the day

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Maya Angelou

Every morning, greet your students with a new quote or fact that’s relevant to Black history.

Say them aloud during your lesson, add them to your bulletin board or send them in an online message (or all of the above, if you’re feeling ambitious). After this, you can open a discussion with your class about the relevance of each quote or fact.

Your students will love looking forward to what each day brings!

Try these:

2. Person of the day or week

Take time to talk about Black influencers and their accomplishments. Highlight a different person every day or week and center your lessons around them!

Explore categories like:

Tip: Try to look beyond typical historical figures and popular celebrities. There are plenty of Black contributors students may not have even heard of yet — use this chance to introduce them!

3. Black history trivia & games

Bring some fun (and maybe a little competition) into your lessons this month! Find trivia and games that focus on Black history, or repurpose other classroom games to incorporate Black History Month questions and answers.

Example of an online quiz that reads: Who was the only Black woman to serve as a U.S. senator?

4. Worksheet activities

Teach students about Black history while they work on fun activities at their own pace. Send worksheets to students online or print them out for independent classroom learning.

A coloring page that says "Black History Month" in block letters.

5. Virtual events

Classroom learning is great, but there’s so much students can learn from their own experiences!

This year especially, there are plenty of online activities and events celebrating Black History Month. So why not choose a youth-appropriate one your class can participate in?

6. Timeline activity

Provide more context on important events in Black history with a bit of chronology.

Have students put together their own timelines, whether individually or in groups, that focus on specific historical events or people. They’ll have fun putting all the events together and learn lots along the way!

7. Study (and create) art

Art in the Black community carries so much historical and cultural significance that can inspire some great, illuminative lessons.

Examples of Black History Month art projects for kids.

Assign one of these activities from Creative Child , or get students to:

8. Use relevant media

There’s so much good media out there to help you teach Black history — use it to your advantage!

Read books or watch videos with your class, then discuss the themes and lessons of each piece of media. After this, you can assign work based on them.

Try these books:

9. Host thought activities

Strengthen collaboration skills with various thought activities during February. These will get students thinking and help them learn new ideas and perspectives from each other.

Start by posing a relevant question to your class, like:

Encourage plenty of participation, then discuss everyone’s answers together!

10. Assign a class project

Give your class a larger assignment they can work on for the entire month, like a collaborative media project or group presentation — like this one from The Core Coaches on Teachers Pay Teachers .

Example of a class project including assignments for

These bigger projects let students build on what they’re learning and work together towards something they can be proud of!

Additional resources

Get inspired by these extra resources to help you even more:

P.S. Want to make your math classes more engaging? Research shows Prodigy make math more fun and can even contribute to better test performance! Discover more about Prodigy's adaptive math platform today!

12 Creative Black History Month Ideas & Activities For Work In 2023

Black History Month comes around every February in the United States and Canada. While we should celebrate the achievement of the black community year-round, this dedicated time marks a special moment in which historical lessons and events focus on the greatness of the African-American community.

With diversity, empathy, and inclusion (DEI) becoming more and more mainstream in the workplace, celebrating Black History to the fullest is understood to be a must. Every employee needs to know they are appreciated, seen, cared about, listened to, and represented.

What is Black History Month?

Black History Month was unofficially started in 1915, 50 years after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That year, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASALH) was founded to research and promote the achievement of Black Americans and other people of African descent.

Fast-forward to 1926, the second week of February — which coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass — the ASALH launched national Negro History Week. Over time, this week evolved into what we know today as Black History Month.

While Black History can be celebrated throughout the year, we’ve carefully curated a list of 12 creative Black History Month ideas for work.

Without further ado, check out these DEI and HR expert-approved ideas to promote inclusivity in the workplace and reinforce it in your company culture!

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Ways To Celebrate Black History Month at Work

1) send employees gifts from black-owned businesses.

Spread some love this February by sending out a gift to each one of your employees that also supports a Black-owned business. Whether it is an item for employees to use at work, during their free time, or to sip on (like BLK & Bold Beverages ) during the morning — this is a great way to kick off BHM! These gifts can also be coupled with a Black History Month-themed team lunch with food ordered from Black-owned restaurants in the area.

How this idea supports Black History Month? This Black History Month idea highlights Black-owned businesses and encourages employees to support growing businesses and entrepreneurs. It also allows teams to bond as they work together in celebration of Black History Month. All these things help create an inclusive and supportive work environment, which is one of the goals of Black History Month.

How to get started: Start by finding Black-owned businesses in your area and compile a list of potential items to include in the Black History Month gift list.

Pro-Tip: Celebrate Black History Month at your company via Caroo’s Recipient Choice feature that allows you to set a budget, send to employees, and let them choose from a variety of gifts from black-owned businesses and companies. Discover today’s most exciting products from emerging women-founded, Black-founded, and people-of-color-founded brands! For every gift delivered, Caroo donates meals to Feeding America on your behalf and donates 5% of all proceeds to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization working to end racial inequality. Try for FREE 👈

2) Encourage Employees To Learn About Black History In Your Area

Show your team the many contributions that black people have made to America, and encourage them to learn more. This can easily be done with the Black Excellence game. This engaging and informative quiz game will test employees’ knowledge of everything from important figures to pop culture moments.

With tons of questions, you’ll have hours of fun learning all about the rich heritage that black people bring into this world, so put on your thinking cap for some Black Excellence!”

How this idea supports black history month at work? With tons of questions, employees, coworkers, and managers will have hours of fun learning about the rich heritage that black people bring into this world.

How to get started: We recently tried out a game of Black Excellence from the team at The Go Game which was a fun and educational virtual team building activity for our department.

3) Black History Month Digital Gift

If you are looking for a last-minute idea or strategy to engage with your distributed team this February, a digital gift could be the answer! What does that mean? The short answer is that each recipient will have their choice of redeeming their reward as a charitable donation towards a not-for-profit organization in support of the Black community, or as a digital gift card .

Recipients can choose to donate the amount in their name to one of the following charitable organizations:

How this idea supports black history month at work? With a charitable donation, you and your coworkers can play a small part in a good cause while celebrating Black History Month in the process. This idea can be attached to any of your other activities planned for February as a nice way to contribute to organizations that are making a difference.

How to get started: Explore the gifting catalog of products from Black-owned business owners and select the Black History Month Digital Gift Card option. Prices range from $5 to $500.

4) Big Company-Wide Goal

Showing a commitment to diversity and inclusion can start on an individual level, but making it a company-wide mission shows you’re serious. Whether you base your goal around hitting a revenue target or some sort of fitness challenge for employee wellness, you can tie it back to a cause that supports DEI.

How this idea supports Black History Month at work? Setting a big company-wide goal is a great way to celebrate Black History Month because you can donate to organizations like the NAACP or other causes that fight for civil rights and equality. Remember that 67% of job seekers consider workplace diversity to be a key factor when assessing potential companies to work for, so it’s critical to be inclusive.

How to get started: At the end of the month, you can hand out awards via a recognition platform or through an end-of-month all-hands meeting.

5) Support Black Founded Businesses In Your Community

Natalia Pereira, owner, and chef at Woodspoon, Los Angeles

What better way to show your support for black excellence and entrepreneurship than by shopping at black-owned businesses? By supporting these locally-owned shops, you will be making an impact on others’ lives as well as acknowledging the power of diversity in your community!

How this idea supports black history month? By supporting black-founded businesses, not only are you celebrating the success and empowerment of African-Americans, but you’re also helping to advance society by supporting entrepreneurs who have committed themselves wholeheartedly to their respective endeavors.

How to get started: Support Black-Owned Businesses in your area by using the Shop Black Owned tool to locate new spots in your community.

6) Stock Your Kitchen With Black-Founded Snack Brands

What’s a better way to celebrate Black History Month than filling the office snack station and serving up some of the best black-founded snack brands? The office snack delivery service, Caroo, offers a huge catalog of snacks and even features delicious, authentic, and unique treats from black-owned brands.

How this idea supports black history month at work? Snacking is just another way to show your support for black culture and community and celebrate African-American entrepreneurship. With a Caroo snack box you can help shine a light on the importance of diversity and inclusion among team members.

How to get started: Try out Caroo .

7) Donate Time And Be A Mentor

Donating your time as a mentor is a perfect Black History Month idea for work. Seek out a young person or get involved in an organization to start mentoring. Open up the opportunity to become a mentor to the company. Let your coworkers or employees know as you find good organizations with strong track records to get involved with.

How this idea supports Black History Month? A mentor provides guidance, lessons, and assistance to someone who needs it. Celebrate Black History Month by offering mentorship to at-risk and underprivileged youth. For many years, the African-American community was placed at a disadvantage by prejudicial practices like red-lining. While we can’t fix the past, we can certainly do our part in the present to continue to improve equality and opportunity.

How to get started: Learn more about becoming a mentor at Mentoring.org .

8) Support Black Art And Artists

Natural Woman II – Andrew Nichols

In several creative industries (such as book publishing, for example), black artists are vastly outnumbered. Celebrate Black History Month by purchasing the works of black artists. This helps balance out underrepresentation one purchase at a time.

How this idea supports Black History Month? Black artists create and send powerful messages. One of the best ways to give the community a voice is to support the artists who are speaking out.

How to get started: There are a ton of free online art galleries to access — you can start with one like Black Art Depot .

Is your team hybrid or fully remote? We have you covered with some ideas for distributed and remote teams:

9) Invest In DEI training

As Michael Scott from The Office proved, not everyone can or should host diversity training. Some things are better left to professionals. Instead of trying to do diversity training internally, consider investing in DEI training by hiring outside help. DEI experts come equipped with exercises, perspectives, and the skills needed to make sure everyone in the office understands how to mesh properly and always be respectful of each other’s backgrounds and differences.

How this idea supports Black History Month? DEI training is about as relevant to Black History Month as it gets. What happens all too often is that people treat racial issues like an elephant in the room instead of facing them head-on and taking the time to develop sensitivity and empathy. Investing in DEI is a chance to change that.

How to get started: This resource can be helpful to start making progress on your investment.

10) Start A Book Club

Reading has been proven again and again to make people more empathetic. It can be easier to understand and digest real-world issues through the lens of fiction and non-fiction because we view them from a less defensive and biased perspective. Starting a book club is a solid way to build up empathy in the workplace towards black employees and to learn more about African-American history.

How this idea supports Black History Month? Books are at least a partial cure for ignorance. Sometimes people act with a lack of sensitivity purely for not knowing any better. Select a variety of books by black authors that focus on the challenges and struggles black women and men have faced throughout history — as well as their amazing accomplishments and triumphs.

How to get started : Check out 10 Must-Read Books for Black History Month to find the right book for your organization.

Pro-tip: Check out these 5 books to get your book club started: A Promised Land by Barack Obama Dressed in Dreams by Tanisha Ford Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur The Mothers by Britt Bennett