Black History Month Archives

Why I’m asking for more from this Black History Month

February 3, 2021February 4, 2021

Opinion by Roxanne Jones Editor’s note: Roxanne Jones, a founding editor of ESPN Magazine and former vice president at ESPN, has been a producer, reporter and editor at the New York Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Jones is co-author of “Say it Loud: An Illustrated History of the Black Athlete.” She talks politics, sports and culture weekly on Philadelphia’s 900AM WURD. The views expressed here are solely hers. Once upon a time, I loved Black History Month. I loved it because February was when my classmates — from elementary through high school — and I finally got our chance

Black History Month: Major Taylor dominated cycling in the 1800s

February 3, 2021February 4, 2021

Black History Month/Sports

Black History Month: Major Taylor By Brandon Griggs Cycling is viewed mostly as a White sport. But one of the fastest men ever to race on two wheels was Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor (1878-1932), an American who dominated sprint cycling in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A hugely gifted rider, Taylor won the first amateur race he entered, at 14. He turned professional four years later and continued winning races, most of them sprints around oval tracks at Madison Square Garden and other arenas in the eastern US. Soon Taylor was competing in races across Europe and Australia, becoming

Five ways you can celebrate Black History Month virtually

February 2, 2021February 4, 2021

Black History Month/Campus News/Community

By Ashley Vaughan, CNN Honoring Black History Month may look and feel a lot different this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. But there are still plenty of ways to celebrate. Across the country, organizations are providing safe ways for people to commemorate the month virtually. Here’s a look at five ways you can partake in honoring the month without leaving your home. Participate in online events Throughout the month of February, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is launching virtual events and conversations that affirm and preserve the accomplishments of African Americans throughout history.

Meet the man who created Black History Month

February 1, 2021February 4, 2021

Black History Month/Campus News/Community

February marks Black History Month, a federally recognized, nationwide celebration that calls on all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have played in shaping US history. But how did this celebration come to be — and why does it happen in February? The man behind the holiday Carter G. Woodson, considered a pioneer in the study of African-American history, is given much of the credit for Black History Month. The son of former slaves, Woodson spent his childhood working in coal mines and quarries. He received his education during the four-month term that was customary