Five Ways To Celebrate Black History Month

Happy Black History Month! 💪🏽🥰

Here are five ideas for how you can celebrate:  

(1)   Deepen your understanding by attending Black History Month events. These can expand your perspective and give you something to reflect on. Use it as a reason to catch up with a friend so that they can join you. Better yet, ask that special someone on a date to a local Black History Month event. It’s a unique date idea and can be an educational and inspiring experience that can open the doors for deep, meaningful conversation that can help you learn more about each other and your worldview.

(2)   Are you a supervisor? If your workplace hosts Black History events, forward them to your team. Of course, they already received the email from the top, but forward it to them anyway.  Let them know you plan to attend and encourage them to do the same. It will separate you from other supervisors who don’t value the purpose of the email as much as you do, because they didn’t forward or remind folks about it.

(3)   Are you a leader? At each team meeting during February, share a Black History fact that may be of interest to your team. Don’t be afraid to be creative. Consider customizing the Black history fact to align with your team or organizational mission. For example, if your team focuses on helping the youth, share a fact about a young black youth. If your team focus on finances, share who the first black person was to own a bank and how it happened. If you do this, it may be the first time anyone on your team has ever experienced a leader taking this type of initiative. Be ready to experience some newfound respect and appreciation coming your way. This is how you model inclusive leadership and demonstrate your values.

(4)   Donate to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture . In March 2025 President Trump signed an order targeting "anti-American ideology" in the Smithsonian, with a particular focus on this museum. Consequently, some artifacts were removed or changed. Many of its historical narratives were labeled as "divisive" or "improper ideology”. However, this museum is funded through a public-private partnership, so your donations matter.

(5)   Give someone special a “Black Excellence Basket”. This is a meaningful trend that’s gaining traction right now. Perfect for close friends, youth, or a loved one. It’s kind of like a Valentines Day basket, except its contents include products from black owned companies, books on black history or by black authors, candles, candy, and more. Watch an example of one here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DaEeQuJo7/

Building a future rooted in understanding and respect takes a village. With everything going on right now, celebrating Black History Month is more important than ever.

When you celebrate it, you’re showing up and demonstrating that the only thing "divisive" about black historical facts is when power is abuse for the purpose of omitting or re-writing history for the sake of comfort and control.

This is about the fight for truth, mutual respect, justice, and love.

All future generations of all faiths, ethnicities, and differences deserve to know the truth; even if it hurts. Such pain is a healthy reminder of what can happen to our society when we treat our fellow human beings as if they have no inherent worth and dignity. The pain and discomfort that comes with the truth helps us remember where we have been and how terrible it was -  so we don’t ever repeat the same mistakes.

The pain of this truth within Black history reminds us that there is still work to do, more equity to create, and more love that needs to flourish before we can truly move forward.

Which of these five ideas for celebrating Black History Month resonate with you the most?

#blackexcellence #blackhistorymonth

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Video Credit: Bryce Norcom

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🪻As a clinical sociologist and educator, I am excited about opportunities to teach in classrooms or speak at events! When not teaching and speaking, I enjoy facilitating organizational effectiveness and learning culture.

With 20+ years in HR/OD and a combined 9+ years of adjunct instruction, teaching over twenty different courses at four institutions, I am always open to opportunities to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in-person, virtually, or hybrid.

If you’d like to invite me to (1) speak, preach, or teach, or (2) help your group overcome organizational challenges, Email me today. I’d love to connect. 💞. SunstoneChapel@gmail.com