Celebrating Black History Month
Resources for Early Learning Teachers and Families
February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the history, culture, and important contributions of the Black community in United States history.
Every year the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) selects a theme to center their celebration for Black History Month. This year the theme is African Americans and Labor. In regards to the 2025 theme, ASALH shares, “Indeed, work is at the very center of much of Black history and culture. Be it the traditional agricultural labor of enslaved Africans that fed Low Country colonies, debates among Black educators on the importance of vocational training, self-help strategies and entrepreneurship in Black communities, or organized labor’s role in fighting both economic and social injustice, Black people’s work has been transformational throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora.”
In celebration of Black History Month, Early Edge California has put together a list of various educational resources to introduce Early Learning teachers, caregivers, and families to Black life, history, and culture, and the events and people that paved the way for racial justice.
SAVE-THE-DATE! Tickets go on sale during Black History Month
Save-the-date for the 2025 BlackECE Symposium about “Dismantling Linguistic Oppression: The Path Toward Language Justice for Black Children in Early Care and Education” on August 14-15, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. The BlackECE Symposium will serve as a platform for early educators, researchers, policymakers, advocates, families and community stakeholders to convene, collaborate, and innovate for Black early care and education.
For Teachers & Caregivers
- 6 books to help young readers learn about Black history (NPR)
- Anti-Bias Education (Teaching for Change)
- Black History Month (Reading Rockets)
- Black History and Early Childhood Education: Eight Resources to Explore for Black History Month (NAEYC)
- Black History Month for kids: 13 activities for learning and celebrating (Care.com)
- Black History Month: Sharing Antiracist Research and Resources in Early Childhood Development (First Five Years Fund)
- Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (Sesame Workshop)
- Talking About Race (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture)
For Families
- Black History Month (National Geographic KIDS)
- Black History Month Booklist (Quality Start Los Angeles)
- Black History Month: February 2024 Family Booklist & Activity (QSLA’s Read from the Start)
- Celebrating Black Leaders (PBS KIDS for Parents)
- Children’s Books to Celebrate Black Culture (PBS KIDS for Parents)
- Children’s Books to Celebrate Black History Month (PBS KIDS for Parents)
- I’m a Black Mom Raising an Afro-Latina Kid—These Are 8 Books I Read to Her During Black History Month (Parents)
- Joyful ABC Activity Booklet Series (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture)
- Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism (PBS KIDS for Parents)
Learn more about Black History Month
- BlackHistoryMonth.gov
- Celebrate Black History Month 2024 (Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture)
- It’s Black History Month. Here are 3 things to know about the annual celebration (NPR)
You can find more resources in our “Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day” blog post.