National African American History Month
February 13, 2024
Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Maya V. Thomas
This fact sheet links to authoritative information resources related to National African
Reference and Digital
American History Month, which is also referred to as African American History Month
Services Librarian
and Black History Month. It is designed to assist congressional offices with work related
to National African American History Month by providing links to legislation, CRS
reports, sample speeches and remarks from the
Congressional Record, and presidential
proclamations and remarks. It also links to additional government resources and selected advocacy, educational,
cultural, and military organizations.
Congressional Research Service
link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 7 link to page 7
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
History ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Legislation ................................................................................................................................. 1
Related CRS Reports ................................................................................................................. 2
Sample Speeches and Recognitions .......................................................................................... 2
Presidential Proclamations and Remarks .................................................................................. 2
Government Resources ............................................................................................................. 3
Nongovernment Resources ....................................................................................................... 4
Contacts
Author Information .......................................................................................................................... 4
Congressional Research Service
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Introduction
National African American History Month, also referred to as African American History Month
and Black History Month, is observed annually in February, in celebration of the achievements of
“all that Black Americans have done to help our country.”1 National African American History
Month “provides opportunities for our Nation’s public schools, institutions of higher learning, and
the public to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of the many contributions of Black
Americans to our country and the world.”2
This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to National African
American History Month. It provides authoritative information resources on National African
American History Month, including links to legislation, CRS reports, sample speeches and
remarks from the
Congressional Record, and presidential proclamations and remarks. It also links
to additional government resources and selected advocacy, educational, cultural, and military
organizations.
History
The origins of National African American History Month date back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G.
Woodson, a noted scholar of Black history, set aside time in February to recognize the heritage,
achievements, and contributions of African Americans.3 Since 1976, the Association for the Study
of African American Life and History (ASALH), the organization founded by Dr. Woodson, has
expanded the observance of Black History Week into a month-long celebration.4
Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush’s messages on the observance
were calls to celebrate “National Afro-American (Black) History Month.”5 In 1992, George H.W.
Bush recognized February as “National African American (Black) History Month,”6 and every
President since Bill Clinton in 1996 has proclaimed February as “National African American
History Month.”7
Each year, the national theme for the National African American History Month celebration is
chosen by ASALH. The theme for 2024 is “African Americans and the Arts.”8
Legislation
P.L. 99-244—In 1986, Congress officially recognized the month of February as Black (Afro-
American) History Month.
1 P.L. 99-244
2 Ibid.
3 Daryl Michael Scott, “Origins of Black History Month,”
Association for the Study of African American Life and
History, at https://asalh.org/about-us/about-black-history-month/.
4 Ibid.
5 For more information, see
The American Presidency Project, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?
field-keywords=%22National+Afro-American+%28Black%29+History+Month%22.
6 George H.W. Bush, “Message on the Observance of National African-American (Black) History Month, February
1992,” presidential remarks,
The American Presidency Project, January 29, 1992, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/
documents/message-the-observance-national-african-american-black-history-month-february-1992.
7 For more information, see
The American Presidency Project, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?
field-keywords=%22National+African+American+History+Month%22.
8 For more information on this year’s theme and past themes, see
Association for the Study of African American Life
and History, “Black History Themes,” at https://asalh.org/black-history-themes/.
Congressional Research Service
1
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Related CRS Reports
The Congressional Research Service has prepared numerous reports that relate to African
Americans. Some of these include the following:
CRS Report RL30378,
African American Members of the U.S. Congress: 1870-2020, by Ida A.
Brudnick and Jennifer E. Manning
CRS Report R46705,
Membership of the 117th Congress: A Profile, by Jennifer E. Manning (see
“African American Members”)
CRS Report R43244,
Women in Congress: Statistics and Brief Overview, by Jennifer E. Manning
and Ida A. Brudnick (see “African American Women in Congress”)
CRS Report R43626,
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview, by Kevin J.
Coleman
CRS Report R44865,
Juneteenth: Fact Sheet, by Devon Galena
CRS Report R47520,
The Voting Rights Act: Historical Development and Policy Background, by
R. Sam Garrett
Sample Speeches and Recognitions
Elected officials often deliver speeches, make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter
Extensions of Remarks into the
Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and
observances. The following are some recent examples:
Representative Donald Payne, “Celebrating Black History Month,” remarks in the House of
Representatives,
Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 21 (February 1, 2023), p. H613.
Representative Cori Bush, “Black History Month,” remarks in the House of Representatives,
Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 25 (February 8, 2022), p. H1020.
Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Ritchie Torres, “Our Power, Our Message During Black
History Month,” remarks in the House of Representatives,
Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 34
(February 23, 2021), pp. H573-H583.
Senator Dick Durbin, “Black History Month,” remarks in the Senate,
Congressional Record, vol.
167, no. 33 (February 22, 2021), pp. S757-S758.
Representative Joyce Beatty, “Observing Black History Month,” remarks in the House of
Representatives,
Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 40 (February 28, 2020), pp. H1255-H1256.
Senator Ben Cardin, “Black History Month,” remarks in the Senate,
Congressional Record, vol.
166, no. 37 (February 25, 2020), pp. S1143-S1144.
Representative Stacey Plaskett, “Recognizing Black History Month,” remarks in the House of
Representatives,
Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 24 (February 5, 2020), p. H775.
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, “Commemorating Black History Month,” remarks in the
Extensions of Remarks,
Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 23 (February 4, 2020), pp. E123-
E124.
Presidential Proclamations and Remarks
One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call
attention to certain issues or events. Some recent National African American History Month
Congressional Research Service
2
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
proclamations, from the White House website and the
Compilation of Presidential Documents,
include the following:
Presidential Proclamations—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-present)
Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2009-2017)
Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2001-2009)
Presidential Proclamations—William J. Clinton (1996-2001)
Presidential proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through the
govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including
selected audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project,
established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Government Resources
The African American History Month website is a joint effort by the Library of Congress,
National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities,
National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum, and contains an extensive guide to the events, exhibits, collections,
audiovisual resources, and research and teaching guides on African American history and culture
from their institutions.
African American Heritage Research (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)
provides guides and online access to archival records relating to African American history. These
records include manuscripts, videos, and photographs from the National Archives and presidential
libraries.
Facts for Features: National African-American (Black) History Month, February 2022 (U.S.
Census Bureau) contains collections of statistics from the Census Bureau’s demographic and
economic subject areas related to African Americans.
Spotlight on Statistics: Labor Market Activity of Blacks in the United States, February 2020 (U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics) contains historical data and projections to provide an economic
snapshot of Blacks or African Americans in the U.S. labor market. Presented in celebration of
African American History Month.
Black Americans in Congress (History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives) contains
“biographical profiles of former African-American Members of Congress, links to information
about current black Members, essays on institutional and national events that shaped successive
generations of African Americans in Congress, and images of each individual Member,
supplemented by other historical photos.” This website is based on the book
Black Americans in
Congress, 1870-2007.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established as part of the
Smithsonian Institution on December 16, 2003, by the African American History and Culture Act
(P.L. 108-184). A competition was held to determine the design of the building and the
groundbreaking ceremony for the museum was on February 20, 2012. The purpose of the
museum is to provide for the establishment of programs relating to African American life, art, and
culture encompassing the periods of slavery; reconstruction; the Harlem renaissance; the civil
rights movement; and other periods of African American history.
Congressional Research Service
3
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
African American History Month and African American Heritage (National Park Service)
highlight historic places that preserve African American history, including information about
properties recognized by the National Register of Historic Places that “exemplify the
contributions of African American culture and achievement.”
Spotlight: Black History Month (U.S. Department of Defense) acknowledges the contributions of
Black military and civilian personnel, celebrating the “richness and diversity of their
achievements.”
Nongovernment Resources
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), Founders of
Black History Month (in 1926, originally Negro History Week), carries forth the work of its
founder, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. ASALH’s mission is “to promote, research, preserve, interpret
and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.”
The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University (DC) has one of the world’s
“largest and most comprehensive repository of books, documents, and ephemera on the global
Black experience.”
Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) at Indiana University (Bloomington,
IN) is one of the foremost research centers for the study of Black music. The AAAMC houses
African American collections and history of religious, classical, blues, gospel, R&B, and hip hop
music.
Author Information
Maya V. Thomas
Reference and Digital Services Librarian
Acknowledgments
This fact sheet was originally authored by Valerie Cervantes, former CRS Senior Knowledge
Services Librarian. This fact sheet was previously updated by Erin Smith, former CRS Reference
and Instruction Librarian.
Congressional Research Service
4
National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
Congressional Research Service
R44363
· VERSION 12 · UPDATED
5