How to Create a Black History Month Invitation

Whether you are hosting a celebratory evening, a week-long seminar or some other get-together, creating your own Black History Month invitation can be fun, effective and budget-friendly. Using a free graphics program and widely-available digital accessories, you easily can create a relevant, personalized and cheap invitation for family and friends--welcoming them to participate according to your particular agenda--right from the convenience of your own home.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Graphic editor
• Printer
• Paper
• Ink
• Envelopes

Instructions

How to Create a Black History Month Invitation

1. 

   Party

   Decide what type of celebratory event you will be hosting. Holding a community gathering at the park might dictate making and hanging invitational posters around the neighborhood; inviting classmates to an academic reading of Black-history literature might only require a digital invitation; and throwing an intimate dinner might call for handmade invitations using scrapbook paper and decorative embellishments. When in doubt, creating a digital invitation on the computer will allow you to print any number of invitations at a variety of sizes.

2. 

   Computer

   Open a graphics editing program on your computer and create a new file. Insert a rectangular box to visualize the dimensions of the invitation. Size the box to have a height and width that will fit into your chosen envelope.

3. 

   Typing

   Insert relevant text. In addition to detailing the event specifics, consider including a poignant quotation from a civil rights leader such as Martin Luther King Jr. Incorporate various fonts, colors, and sizes in order to keep the text interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

4. 

   Abraham Lincoln

   Add graphics as desired. You can locate and insert related clipart and photos, such as a headshot of Frederick Douglass or Malcolm X, or you can keep the invitation more subtly decorated with simple borders and icons.

5. 

   Ink Cartridges

   Prepare your printer by loading the designated paper and ink cartridge(s). Select a high-quality print resolution and complete the necessary prompts to initiate printing one copy. After ensuring the layout is acceptable, continue to print until you have the desired number of invitations

6. 

   Save File

   Save your file for future use in the event that you will need to reference a digital copy once again. You can save the file with the extension native to the program you are working in, or you can save the invitation itself as a ".jpg" or ".png" picture file, depending on your preferences.

Tips & Warnings

• You can decide to use a non-rectangular shape for the overall design of your Black History Month invitation. If desired, skip inserting an outside border and simply mentally note what shape and size you want the invitation to be.

• If you are looking into creating a poster-sized invitation on the computer, you may find it difficult and resource-demanding to print a large, high-quality sign at home. Consider saving your image and ordering the printed invitation(s) from a local photo center.

References

• Homemade Free Unique: "Unique African American Invitation Design"