A lot of people don’t know why we celebrate Black History Month, or why it is in October in the U.K. and February in the US. Here’s a quick Black history — and why it means something special in Brixton.
In 1926, U.S. historian Dr Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week to highlight Black achievements ignored by mainstream education. He chose February to mark the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two symbols of emancipation and change. In the 70s, during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, it grew into a month-long national celebration.