National Black History Month: February 2025
National Black History Month: February 2025
Historian Carter G. Woodson launched Black History Week in 1926 to recognize the significant contributions of African Americans during the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and abolitionist/writer Frederick Douglass (February 14). Congress expanded it to National Black History Month 50 years later during the nation’s bicentennial celebration at which time then-President Gerald Ford urged the country to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."
The following facts are possible thanks to the invaluable responses to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we measure America’s people, places and economy.
Did You Know?
50,579,102
The Black or African American alone or in combination population in the United States in 2023.
Source:
90.1%
The percentage of African Americans age 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher in 2022.
35.3%
The percentage of the employed Black population age 16 and older working in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2023.
Source:
161,031
The number of Black-owned employer businesses in the United States in 2021.
Source:
1,997,837
The number of Black civilian veterans in the United States nationwide in 2023.
Source:
More on Population Size
Voting Rights
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
More Stats
Refer to the detailed profile on the Black population from the 2021 American Community Survey. Statistics include:
- Families and children.
- Marital status.
- Grandparents living with grandchildren.
- Jobs.
- Labor force participation.
- Occupation.
- Commuting.
- Housing.
Related News Products
Past Facts for Features
Stats for Stories
Graphics
- Black Education on the Rise (1/12/2023)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (1/12/2023)
- Recent Black High School Attainment On Par With National Average (1/25/2022)
- High School Education Gap Narrows Among the Young (1/7/2021)
Observances in our Facts for Features series:
- National Black History Month (February)
- Women's History Month (March)
- Irish-American Heritage Month (March)
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May)
- The Fourth of July
- Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26)
- National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)
- Halloween (Oct. 31)
- National Native American Heritage Month (November)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
- Holiday Season (November — December)
Editor’s note: These data come from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. We generally release Facts for Features about two months before observances to accommodate magazine production timelines. For more information, contact the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office at (301)763-3030 or <pio@census.gov>.
Profile America's Facts for Features provides statistics related to observances and holidays not covered by Stats for Stories. For observances not listed above, visit our Stats for Stories webpage.
Stats for Stories provides links to timely story ideas highlighting newsworthy Census Bureau statistics that relate to current events, observances, holidays and anniversaries. The story ideas are intended to assist the media in story mining and producing content for their audiences. Dates with presidential proclamations are marked with (P).