Black History Month was recognized nationally in 1976, when President Gerald Ford designated the month as a time for the public to honor the contributions of Black Americans, according to the museum. The month has since inspired other groups and an appreciation of multicultural backgrounds.

Black History Month wasn’t always a monthlong celebration. In February 1926, historian and author Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week. It was a weeklong celebration in an effort to teach people about African-American history and the contributions of Black people.

This year's Black History Month theme celebrates the role of Black labor in building the nation through industry or community work.

"I love Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks because everything you see here is because of them, and they made freedom for every race and everything," said a fourth grader at Meadowview Elementary School.

Groups celebrating Black History Month are including this year’s theme of African Americans and Labor as part of their commemorations.

With Black History Month kicking off Saturday, entertainment expert Derrial Christon joins us in the studio to break down all the best 2024 films to watch in its honor -- from moving dramas to franchise action flicks.

The Bears are proud to celebrate Black History Month 2025 by honoring the transformative legacy of Black individuals within the organization, the sport of football and our community.

To kick things off, the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library branches across central Virginia will be hosting a wide range of events to celebrate Black history.

Beginning Feb. 1, schools, museums and communities across the nation will mark the start of Black History Month –- a celebration of Black history, culture and education. The history of the month dates back almost a century,