Did you know? Black History Month originated as Negro History Week in 1926 and was presented by historian + author Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Woodson chose February to honor the birth months of Frederick Douglas and President Abraham Lincoln.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford published a Message on the Observance of Black History Month, acknowledging the month, and in 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244 federally recognizing the tradition.

If you're looking for local events + opportunities to commemorate Black History Month, we've found a few things to get you going.

Celebrate Black Cinema | Tuesday, Feb. 11 + Tuesday, Feb. 25 | Free | Watch contemporary films "BlacKkKlansman" + "American Fiction" in the comfort of a community setting.
Living In Color | Through Friday, Feb. 28 | Free | This exhibition hosts various professional and student artists across NC. Each piece materializes people of color living in the South.
Lunchbox Lecture | Thursday, Feb. 20 | Free | Bring your own lunch and lean in to a led by Wanda Cox-Bailey, a retired librarian and president of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Triangle Chapter as she dives into the history of Southeast Raleigh.
"Joy Cometh in the Morning" African American Symposium | Saturday, Feb. 22 | Free | Join M.T. Pope House and the City of Raleigh Museum in a day filled with academic presentations + music focusing on emancipation.
Black History Trolley Tour | Sunday, March 2 | $15 | Tour Oberlin Village + Mordecai Historic Park and learn about the history of community + freedom in these parts of Raleigh. Registration is required.