Black History Month Marks 100 Years of Celebrating African American Achievements

Historians say the work of telling America's full story is far from finished

Feb. 4, 2026 at 4:31pm

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This year marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, a milestone that reflects a century-long effort to preserve and honor the contributions of Black Americans. What began in 1926 as a single week dedicated to Black history has grown into a month-long national observance, with Atlanta playing a central role as a hub for Black scholarship and activism.

Why it matters

The 100-year anniversary of Black History Month underscores the ongoing importance of telling the stories and celebrating the achievements of African Americans, which have often been overlooked or erased from the historical record. It also highlights Atlanta's legacy as a center of Black intellectual life and the need to continue uncovering and sharing the untold narratives that have shaped the nation's history.

The details

Negro History Week was launched in 1926 by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. The celebration emerged during a pivotal period when Atlanta was becoming a center of Black intellectual life and activism, with scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois teaching at Atlanta University and helping to legitimize the academic study of Black history. Over the decades, the observance has expanded to include stories of Atlanta washerwomen organizing a strike for fair wages in 1881 and the election of Jefferson Long as the first Black representative from Georgia to speak on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

  • Negro History Week was launched in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
  • In 1976, Negro History Week officially expanded into Black History Month.
  • A decade later, in 1986, the observance received congressional recognition.

The players

Dr. Carter G. Woodson

A Virginia native, Woodson was the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University and launched what was then known as Negro History Week in 1926.

W.E.B. Du Bois

A scholar and activist, Du Bois was the first Black person to earn a doctorate from Harvard and taught at Atlanta University, now Clark Atlanta University, helping to legitimize the academic study of Black history and cement Atlanta's role as a hub for Black scholarship.

Jefferson Long

The first Black representative from Georgia to speak on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, elected during Reconstruction.

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What they’re saying

“It was not intended to be the only time where we acknowledge or celebrate Black history. It was meant to be a collective celebration.”

— Dr. La'Neice Littleton, Historian, Atlanta History Center (11alive.com)

“Being the premier historian of his time and one of the greatest thinkers in American history, he set the tone for Atlanta to really be the hub of Black history.”

— Dr. La'Neice Littleton, Historian, Atlanta History Center (11alive.com)

“I think it's as important now as it was in 1926. A 100-year anniversary signifies that we have to keep going for another 100 years and that there are undertold stories that still need to be told.”

— Dr. La'Neice Littleton, Historian, Atlanta History Center (11alive.com)

The takeaway

The 100-year anniversary of Black History Month serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of preserving and honoring the contributions of African Americans, whose stories and accomplishments have often been overlooked or erased from the historical record. It also highlights Atlanta's legacy as a hub for Black scholarship and activism, and the need to continue uncovering and sharing the untold narratives that have shaped the nation's history.