Black History Month was officially designated in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford as the month of February. It is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans. Some other countries around the world also devote a month to celebrate black history.
In 1969, Little, Brown published an anthology, "The Best Short Stories by Black Writers," that became a landmark collection of black writings from 1897 to 1967. It was put together by Langston Hughes. Little, Brown also published a companion volume titled "Children of the Night: The Best Short Stories by Black 1967 to the Present" which was edited by Gloria Naylor. Both volumes contain a wide range of short stories that are essential for any reader interested in Black History.
"Passing" and "Quicksand" by Nella Larsen are two novellas that document the social world of 1920s Harlem. They explore the world of the black bourgeoisie of the 1920s while detailing the characters' internal and external experience as they grapple with society's dilemmas. The psychology of the characters has been said to be the most interesting aspect of both these short novels.
RaceBridges (racebridgesforschools.com) is a free online initiative that also provides lesson plan resources about diversity and inclusion for teachers, leaders and students. The Story Shorts collection, a series of audio and video stories, told by professional storytellers, was launched in February of 2011 to mark the year's Black History Month. It features engaging stories over the course of 100 lesson plans and can be viewed through video or downloaded as audio tracks. The units are also coupled with a synopsis of the stories and reflection and discussion questions. The story shorts can even be played as one story or linked together in a series of inspiring stories.
Just Read, Florida (justreadflorida.com), an organization under Florida's Department of Education, has recommended a 2011 reading list in celebration of Black History Month. This comprehensive list highlights African-American literature and provides an excellent source of over 75 suggested books for children of all ages. The books include "I Dream of Trains," by Angela Johnson; "Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman," by Nikki Grimes; and "The Other Side: Shorter Poems," by Angela Johnson.