February is designated as Black History Month nationwide and you can learn something new about African-American contributions to US history through GPB’s Black History Month Programming.

To give you a little history, this observance dates back to February 1926, when it was established as Negro History Week by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted African-American author and scholar. In 1976, President Gerald Ford called upon the public to honor the history and accomplishments of black Americans by celebrating the entire month of February.

This month serves as an opportunity for schools and communities to organize and host various events on the history of black Americans. But it should also serve as a time for families to recognize the achievements and contributions by African-Americans that are not included in our textbooks.

Join GPB as we salute notable African-Americans on television, radio and online, by visiting http://www.gpb.org/education/black-history-month to see a list of programs available this month.

Also, Today in Georgia History highlights the many contributions of African-Americans and other Georgians daily at http://www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/ .