Image from ASALH

February 2024 marks Black History Month, themed “African Americans and the Arts.” This year, celebrate the deep impact Black artists have had and continue to have on America. Their rich tapestry of artistic expressions from music and literature to visual arts and fashion have shaped American culture. Take time to uplift and amplify Black voices through Black art in all its forms to understand Black history and culture and value and celebrate our District 196 Black students, families, and community members. To understand more about this year’s theme, click here.

To learn about the origins of Black History Month, click here.

To learn the timeline of Black history, click here.

Photo from freepik

Inspired by the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., the late and former principal of Ann Arbor Public Schools, Mr. Joseph Dulin, created the National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) to encourage parents to practice the goals of NAAPID. The goals are:

• Promote African American parent involvement in their child's education.

• Promote and provide strategies for African American parents and students to take full advantage of the educational process at all levels of the educational system (preschool through postsecondary).

• Identify and develop partnership efforts between all sectors of the community (business, school, home etc.).

• Create a national network on the state and local levels to achieve the mission and goals of NAAPID.

• Develop fundraising strategies and put them into effect to finance the endeavors of NAAPID (grants, public and private donations, in-kind services etc.).

• Offer educational workshops, seminars and institutes relating to parental involvement and eliminating the achievement gap.

• Establish an annual National African American Parent Involvement Day celebration on the second Monday in February.

Some ways African American parents/guardians can help achieve these goals are:

• Volunteer at their child(ren)’s school(s).

• Share about an art form that is special in their culture to a classroom, a school, or the community.

• Make partnerships between African American/Black owned businesses and District 196 schools.

Free poster from Education.com

Black changemakers - authors, activists, artists, and revolutionaries - are all around us. Share their stories with students and have them learn about other changemakers, too!

Check out Google Arts & Culture's Black Innovators: Learn about pioneers from history to today.

Watch True Flix's videos on these visionaries:

• Fredrick-Douglas

• Harriet Tubman

• Rosa Parks

• Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Jackie Robinson

Part of District 196 Kindergarten Community Unit Read Aloud Options

Margaree K. Mitchell creates stories to inspire children, teens, and adults. She hopes that by writing about history, she can encourage students to see how others who accomplished things long ago in less than ideal situations, can inspire them to shoot for the stars. This book shows how Uncle Jed had been saving up to open his own barbershop until something happened. It is part of District 196 5th Grade Community Unit Read Aloud Options.

Cozbi A. Cabrera, former music director turned creator and illustrator of books for young children, shows readers how McKenzie can tend to her Black hair like Miss Tillie’s beautiful and healthy garden. Watch this read aloud video.

He is the "#1 New York Times bestselling author of many award-wining books" and poetry for pre-teens and teens. Jason Reynolds is the author of "Miles Morales: Spiderman" and "Miles Morales: Suspended." Learn more about him at Pebble Go or Poets.org.

She is "a poet, emcee, and Hip Hop Theater artist from Saint Paul, MN, with a deep and resounding love for Black people." Watch and listen to her poem, "On Our Collective Power: The Community Cut."

Learn about Stepping

She was the first African American woman to become principal dancer in the 75-year history of American Ballet Theatre. She created a black Barbie doll. Misty Copeland created her own dance clothing line called Égal which means equal in French.

He is an "Emmy award winning actor, vocalist, arts educator and community organizer." T. Mychael Rambo has been on national and international stages, including Carnegie Hall and in Africa, Europe and South America. This recording artist has two popular CDs, Simply (a collection of jazz standards) and The Gift: A Christmas With Love (a selection of original and holiday classics). He is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota.

Check out other ways to celebrate Black History Month.

• Common Sense Education - Free Learning Resources for Black History Month (And Beyond)
• MNOPEDIA - African Americans in Minnesota
• National Museum of African American History & Culture - Celebrate Black History Month 2024
• We Are Teachers - 40 Black History Month Activities for February and Beyond
• #38: Research Juneteenth
• #39: Listen to musician, Rhiannon Giddens, sing, "Build a House." It was originally performed for the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth with cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.

• Black History Month 2024 in Minneapolis - Events in and around Minneapolis

• Black-Owned Businesses - From foods to retail and more

• Meet Minneapolis - From virtual events to in-person events

- Misty Copeland, first African American Female Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre

They are located on the Equity and Inclusion Department Website.