History

February 2010: National African American History Month

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American Historian
Carter G. Woodson

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded to Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents proclaim February as National African-American History Month.

In recognition of African American History Month, consider these census-related facts:

• As of July 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the nation's Black population (including those of one or more races) was 41.1 million.
• Data from the American Community Survey shows that 38 percent of Mississippi's population identified itself as Black which was higher than any other state. Blacks also made up more than a quarter of the population in Louisiana (32 percent), Georgia (31 percent), Maryland (30 percent), South Carolina (29 percent), and Alabama (27 percent). They comprise 56 percent of the population in the District of Columbia.
• The number of Black voters increased from the 2004 to 2008 presidential elections by approximately 2.1 million. Overall, 65 percent of registered Black voters participated in the 2008 elections, an increase of approximately 5 percent over 2004.
• According to the 2002 Economic Census, New York led all states with 129,329 Black-owned firms [PDF 2.67MB]. New York City alone accounted for 98,080 of this total!