Teacher Resources for Black History Month

The origins of Black History Month stretch back over the course of a century, first as a celebratory week and eventually the month of February. It serves as a celebration of the legacy of Black Americans who helped to build our nation and also as a time of remembrance and acknowledgement of injustice. In schools, Black History Month provides an important teaching tool for learning about struggle and success as well as contributions made to cultural, social, and economic development of the United States. 

The teachable moments for Black History Month are endless and span all education levels, from short videos to documentaries to primary sources to in-person and digital exhibits. You can find lesson plans, strategies, and activities from any number of learning institutions to fit your classroom’s needs. If you are looking for additional resources to add to your teaching tool belt, let us help get you started with some resources that we have compiled! 

Marco Learning - Marco Learning provides free lesson plans and classroom resources for AP Teachers, but these resources could be used in many different courses.

Learning for Justice - Learning for Justice partners with communities to offer resources to reduce prejudice by offering educational materials from articles to webinars to encourage learning and reflection.

National Museum of African American History & Culture - The National Museum of African American History & Culture, part of the Smithsonian Institution, offers curated reading materials as well as Learning Labs for activities and conversations.

National Education Association - The National Education Association offers lesson plans, activities, and background resources grouped by grade level. 

BlackHistoryMonth.gov - BlackHistoryMonth.gov offers lesson plans and document-based activities based on primary sources pulled from several government agencies including the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the National Park Service, and more.  

We Are Teachers - We Are Teachers helps teachers create interactive lesson plans and activities by connecting the past to the present using context commonly excluded from other sources. 

iCivics - iCivics offers videos and lessons using primary sources and other activities. Educators have access to guides and further resources for learning with animated videos.