BHM: Where to celebrate around the country

It’s the first weekend of Black History Month, and communities are offering plenty of ways to celebrate across the country.

February is a federally recognized time to honor the contributions and achievements of Black people. Carter Woodson created a week dedicated to Black history in 1926 and it expanded to a month 50 years later.

This weekend, places across the country are offering events or a chance to visit related ongoing exhibits. One example is the Smithsonian National Museum of African American history and culture, marking the 200th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation by displaying early copies of the document. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia has special events this month, and Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Junior National Historical Park is a way to engage with Black history all year.

Woodson said he chose February to honor Black history because two notable birthdays fall in this month. Early Civil Rights leader Frederick Douglass celebrated his on the 14th, and former president Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12th. He signed the Emancipation Proclamation, a significant step toward ending slavery in the U.S.

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