February is known as Black History Month in the United States and beyond, and while of course Black people should be learned about and honored in our curriculum throughout the year, it gives us an opportunity to be more conscious about presenting Black stories (and hopefully some stories beyond the few people whose stories are always told) in the classroom.
For the youngest kids, reading books and doing crafts around figures in Black history are great places to start. The book ABC Black History and Me by Queenbe Monyei, for example, is an adorable little board book that presents the alphabet with words and famous figures from Black history (B is for brave and features Rosa Parks, Y is for youth and has a drawing of several young people, including Amanda Gorman, for example). The book includes a timeline at the back that names all the people and events shown in the book if you want to learn more.
No Time for Flashcards has a great art project for little kids inspired by Alma Thomas, a Black artist who used vibrant colors to represent the world around her. Older kids can learn about the work of folk artist William H. Johnson and make their own art like his. Check out the post at Art Projects for Kids to learn more. (There are also coloring pages and a printable tutorial here that would work for younger kids too.)
Speaking of coloring pages, these pages with quotes from Mrs. Merry can get kids talking about and thinking about these historical figures and why they are important to all Americans. There are many more Black History Month coloring pages at Coloring Only.
Of course older kids can research and learn about different figures from Black history. You can start with the people mentioned on this free printable Black History Month poster from Adventure in a Box (or this paid set of posters from Teacher Jeanell) or have kids find their own figures to study.
While it’s great to learn about Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Ruby Bridges, George Washington Carver and the like, it’s also great to delve into some of the lesser-known figures of Black history. How about Carter G. Woodson, the scholar whose dedication to Black history eventually led to the establishment of Black History Month? Or Garret Morgan, an inventor whose innovations led to the modern traffic light?
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