Black History Month Decorating Idea
Since 1976, February has been celebrated as Black History Month in America. This is an important time in which the triumphs, tribulations, and contributions of African-Americans enjoy recognition and celebration. It doesn't matter if you are of African-American heritage or not; marking Black History Month is an educational endeavor that will provide a wealth of information on significant people and events that have long been overlooked or misunderstood. Take advantage of Black History Month to learn something new, and share it with your class or family. A good start is to decorate for the occasion.
Other People Are Reading
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Photos
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Hang photos of notable African-Americans throughout history to recognize their faces and their contributions. If you can't find a photograph, find a sketch or artist's rendering. Write the person's name, their dates of birth and death (if applicable), and some important facts about who they are and what they accomplished. Some notable African-Americans you may want to include in your display are Rosa Parks, Reggie Jackson, Maya Angelou, W.E.B. Dubois, Colin Powell, and Barack Obama.
Maps
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Maps are a great way to learn about African-American history. Display maps of Africa, labeling the countries and illustrating flags of the various African nations. Frame prints of old slave-trade shipping routes along with diagrams of how slaves were transported in ships, voyage logs, and information on the slave trade industry. Put up maps of America marking the cities where famous African-Americans were born or marking stops on the Underground Railroad, referencing people and stories that took place along the way.
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Art
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Display artwork inspired by African culture, such as pottery, masks, prints, wall hangings, and sculptures. Also display African-American folk art from various parts of the country. Decorate a wall with quilts, which had a special significance to many slaves as they were a way of preserving family history. Slaves would patch together pieces of clothing, baby blankets, wedding dresses, etc., to record their family history in a quilt. These blankets were also sometimes used by people to make secret maps that led the way to the Underground Railroad.
Writings
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Look for books with writings by African-Americans. Copy them and place them on the wall so their words will be remembered. Search the library for excerpts from diaries, family histories, poetry, essays, and other writings by African-Americans. Create posters by making collages of inspiring words and statements by Civil Right's activists. Whoever views these over the course of the month is sure to find inspiration and wisdom that they will carry with them.
Multicultural
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Put up some multicultural decorations to remind people that African-American history is not just for or about those with African heritage, but about the history of our nation and the contributions that have benefited us all. Make a wreath or garland of multicolored hands joined together. Trace hand prints on black, red, white, brown, and yellow paper. Cut out the handprints and attach them together in a circle for a wreath or in a row to create garland to hang around the room.
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