7 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in Your Office
In 2026, Black History Month marks 50 years since it was officially recognized as a month-long observance in the United States. While efforts to document and celebrate Black history began long before that, this milestone invites workplaces to reflect on how recognition shows up today and what meaningful action looks like beyond awareness.
For organizations, Black History Month is an opportunity to move beyond surface-level gestures and toward learning that’s thoughtful, relevant, and grounded in real workplace experiences.
This article includes free, practical resources to support Black History Month planning at work, alongside guidance on how to approach February with intention, care, and credibility.
Below are seven practical, meaningful ways to celebrate Black History Month at work in 2026, designed to help organizations connect history to the present and create impact that lasts beyond the month.
Looking for ideas for Black History Month?
Celebrate Black History at your workplace!
The History of Black History Month and It’s Importance at Work
Carter G. Woodson
Black History Month became a nationally recognized, month-long observance in 1976, expanding on decades of advocacy led by historian Carter G. Woodson, who launched Negro History Week in 1926.
Entering high school at the age of 20, he later went on to be the 2nd Black American to be awarded a PhD from Harvard University. He chose the month of February for the celebration based on the birthdays of two key people involved in the abolition of slavery, Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass.
In1976 Black History Month finally gained national recognition in the United States. That year, President Gerald Ford said that Black History Month “can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”.
In 2026, the observance marks 50 years of formal recognition, a milestone that invites reflection not only on Black history, but on how institutions acknowledge, value, and act on it today. While awareness of Black history has grown over the past five decades, many of the inequities that shaped that history continue to show up in the workplace, from representation gaps in leadership to disparities in pay, advancement, and psychological safety.
This is why Black History Month remains relevant: not as a retrospective exercise, but as a lens for understanding how history connects to present-day systems and decisions at work.
Black History Month at work isn’t about celebration alone, it’s about learning, reflection, and responsibility,” says Melicia Hewitt, Training Facilitator at CultureAlly. “When organizations take the time to observe it thoughtfully, they signal that Black experiences and contributions are valued not just historically, but as part of the company’s present and future.
Here’s why we love to celebrate Black History Month:
We celebrate this month to remember important Black figures who have long been forgotten.
We celebrate this month to show Black youth that they can achieve their dreams, no matter what they may be.
And we celebrate this month to educate everyone about the Black experience.
Statistics About Black Communities
Data, when presented thoughtfully, anchors Black History Month in real lived experience, highlighting systemic disparities that continue to shape economic, health, and social outcomes in the United States. These figures are not abstract; they remind us that equity work is ongoing and necessary.
Economic and Wealth Inequities
While overall wealth has grown for many households over time, racial wealth disparities remain stark. Typical Black households hold significantly less wealth than white households — in 2022, the median wealth of Black families was about 15% of the typical white family’s wealth, reflecting persistent economic inequity.
Child Poverty
Poverty disproportionately affects Black children. Official federal data show that Black children have historically lived in poverty at far higher rates than their White peers with recent data indicating that Black children experience poverty at roughly three times the rate of White children.
Infant Mortality Disparities
Health outcomes also reveal persistent inequities. Black infants in the United States die at much higher rates than their White counterparts. For example, in recent provisional federal data, the infant mortality rate for Black infants was more than twice that of White infants.
What This Means for Workplaces
These disparities underscore why Black History Month matters beyond remembrance: the inequities reflected here are rooted in structural inequities that shape people’s access to opportunity, economic security, health care, and safety. All of which influence workplace experiences and outcomes.
The takeaway isn’t guilt, it’s accountability.
Recognition without action doesn’t change outcomes; these data invite organizations to consider how policies, culture, and leadership practices influence equity and what can be done to support meaningful progress.
Important Firsts for the Black Community
Despite centuries of oppression, the Black community is resilient and has managed to accomplish many unique firsts across a multitude of industries.
Hattie McDaniel was the first Black person to win an Oscar (1940)
Marian Anderson was the first Black member of the Metropolitan Opera (1955)
Charlie Sifford was the first Black person to win a PGA Tour Event (1967)
Shirley Chisholm was the first Black person to campaign for U.S. presidency in a major political party and win a primary/caucus (1972)
Mae Jemison was the first Black woman astronaut (1992)
Ruth J. Simmons was the first Black president of an Ivy League university (2001)
Barack Obama was the first Black president of the U.S. (2008)
Kamala Harris was the first Black U.S. vice-president elect (2020)
Organizing Black History Month Events at Work
Organizing Black History Month programming at work requires intention, planning, and care. While events can be a meaningful way to bring people together, impact comes from how they’re designed — not how many are scheduled.
When planning Black History Month events in 2026, organizations are increasingly prioritizing experiences that are educational, respectful, and connected to real workplace learning, rather than one-off activities.
Here are a few guiding principles to consider:
Be thoughtful about scope and format.
Not every organization needs a full calendar of events. A small number of well-designed sessions, such as a facilitated discussion, guest speaker, or learning workshop, often has more impact than multiple loosely connected activities.
Avoid placing the burden on Black employees.
While some employees may choose to participate or share perspectives, Black History Month programming should never rely on Black team members to educate others or relive personal experiences. External facilitators, curated resources, and expert-led sessions help ensure learning is shared responsibly.
Create space for learning, not debate.
Effective events establish clear expectations around respect, listening, and participation. Structured formats, facilitation, and reflection prompts help create safer spaces where people can engage thoughtfully without turning conversations into debates.
Make participation accessible.
Offering virtual or hybrid options, sharing recordings when appropriate, and designing sessions that don’t assume prior knowledge helps ensure more employees can engage meaningfully.
Connect events to ongoing efforts.
The most impactful Black History Month programming doesn’t stand alone. Consider how learning from February can inform leadership development, internal communications, or future training throughout the year.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Even with good intentions, some approaches to Black History Month can miss the mark. Being mindful of common pitfalls can help organizations create programming that’s respectful, meaningful, and aligned with their values.
Don’t treat Black History Month as a checkbox.
One-off gestures or symbolic activities, without follow-through, can feel hollow. Recognition should connect to broader learning, policies, or commitments that extend beyond February.
Don’t expect Black employees to lead or educate by default.
Black History Month programming should never rely on Black team members to share personal stories, explain racism, or carry the emotional weight of educating others, unless they explicitly choose to do so and are properly supported and compensated.
As Melicia notes, “Organizations often place the burden of Black History Month on Black employees, expecting them to educate others or share personal experiences. A better approach is investing in expert-led learning and curated resources, so the responsibility for education is shared and handled with care.”
Don’t rely on stereotypes or oversimplified narratives.
Avoid framing Black history as a single story or focusing only on struggle or trauma. Black history includes innovation, leadership, creativity, resistance, and joy and deserves nuance.
Don’t host events without context or support.
Unfacilitated discussions or poorly framed sessions can unintentionally cause harm. Clear goals, facilitation, and shared expectations help ensure conversations remain respectful and productive.
Don’t limit recognition to February.
Treating Black History Month as the only time to acknowledge Black contributions or address racial inequities can undermine trust. Meaningful inclusion shows up consistently throughout the year.
6 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month at Work
1. Schedule an expert-led learning session.
Choose a workshop or facilitated discussion that connects Black history to present-day workplace experiences.
2. Host a structured conversation or panel.
Use a moderated format with clear goals and participation guidelines to encourage respectful engagement.
3. Spotlight Black leaders and contributions, past and present.
Share stories that highlight both historic milestones and contemporary impact in your industry.
4. Partner with Black-owned businesses or creators.
This might include vendors, facilitators, authors, or artists connected to your programming.
5. Share curated learning resources with context.
Offer a short list of recommended books, podcasts, or films with guidance on how to engage.
6. Identify one action to carry forward beyond February.
“Black History Month is most impactful when it leads to one clear action that lives beyond February,” says Hewitt. “Momentum matters more than volume. That might mean investing in mentorship, skill-building, and real pathways to advancement for BIPOC groups.”
7. Examine Who Has Influence and Who Doesn’t
Black History Month can be a meaningful moment to look beyond programming and ask deeper questions about power and decision-making at work. Who has influence in leadership and strategy conversations? Whose expertise is compensated? And where are voices still missing?
As Melicia Hewitt notes, “February is a good moment to ask whose perspectives shape strategy, whose expertise is compensated, and where voices are still missing.” Using Black History Month as a checkpoint for these conversations helps organizations move from reflection to structural action.
Free Resources for Black History Month
📑Articles
Abigail and Stephan Thernstrom wrote this article on Black progress in 1998 and it still rings true today.
Jessica Graham-LoPresit, Tahirah Abdullah, Amber Calloway and Lindsey West collaborated to deliver this article about racism, stress and how to cope with anxiety.
Jim Ludema and Amber Johnson discuss three do’s and don’ts for allyship in the workplace in this Forbes article.
Melanie S. Morrison discusses white privilege, shame and guilt, and working collaboratively with people of color in this Yale published article.
📚Books
The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man – James Weldon Johnson
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl – Harriet Ann Jacobs
The Color Purple – Alice Walker
Black Feminist Thought – Patricia Hill Collins
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness – Michelle Alexander
How to be an Antiracist – Ibram X. Kendi
So You Want to Talk About Race – Ijeoma Oluo
White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo
Medical Apartheid – Harriet Washington
The Miseducation of the Negro – Carter Woodson
🎙️Podcasts
Check out our list of the 7 podcasts about race you should add to your playlist
🎬Videos
Angela Bowden gives a Ted Talk for Black women who need to heal from strength and resilience trauma.
Black Professionals Network provides opportunities for Black professionals to connect with one another and fine-tune their skill sets while boosting their career profile.
Lisa Fritsch gives a Ted Talk about “The Angry Black Woman” stereotype.
These young men give a glimpse of their experiences growing up Black.
Black women/femmes discuss microaggressions in the workplace.
For teams that want guided support, CultureAlly offers Black History Month training that builds on the ideas outlined here: helping organizations approach February with care, context, and confidence.
About Our Contributor: Melicia Hewit
Melicia Hewitt (She/Her) is a Training Facilitator with CultureAlly. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada, the ancestral territory of several Indigenous nations, including the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat peoples. With a Master's in Education, and over a decade of experience as an educator and curriculum designer, Melicia is passionate about fostering cross-cultural understanding and creating inclusive learning spaces where all voices are valued. Guided by both her lived experience as an Afro-Canadian, neurodivergent woman of Jamaican ancestry, she fosters empathy and connection through dialogue, helping individuals and organizations move from awareness to meaningful, lasting action.
