5 Powerful Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in the Workplace
February is Black History Month, and the celebration doesn’t have to be limited to schools, activist organizations, or community groups. Celebrating Black History Month in the workplace can have a big impact on your company’s diversity and inclusion efforts, opening up the conversation about race and raising awareness of the work that is still to be done for racial equity. Let’s talk about some powerful ways that you can celebrate this important observance with your employees.
The Background of Black History Month
Black History Month has its roots in the 1920s, when an organization known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) founded a national Negro History week. They chose the second week of February because it coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. For decades, schools and community organizations celebrated it as a local holiday with performances and lectures sharing African-American history.
By the late 60s, most communities and college campuses had shifted the name and celebration to Black History Month by the late 60s. In 1976, President Ford officially designated the month of February as Black History Month, a tradition that has continued since. Today, we honor the legacy and contributions of African Americans in our country’s society, including industry leaders, cultural icons, and civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and more.
Celebrating Black History Month in the Workplace
As we celebrate the accomplishments of Black leaders in our culture, we must also acknowledge that there is still much to do related to race-related harassment and discrimination in society and in the workplace. When businesses celebrate Black History Month, it provides an opportunity to start conversations about race, raises awareness for Black and minority voices, and is a great time to refocus your company’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Let’s discuss some of the best ways to celebrate Black History Month in a work environment.
1. Invite a Speaker to Discuss Noteworthy Black Figures
You could invite an expert in African-American culture to discuss important figures and their contributions to U.S. history. Try reaching out to local college campuses or nonprofit organizations for a professor or speaker who can share this knowledge, or you could Zoom in a speaker to your next meeting in February. If possible, you could also find an expert who could speak to the impact of Black cultural figures on your specific industry.
2. Create a Discussion Group to Share Books by Black Authors
If your employees are big readers, why not boost employee engagement with a Black authors book club? We recommend purchasing your books from a Black-owned bookstore, and identifying a few books that will provide a variety of perspectives. Encourage your employees to share their thoughts on each book after reading with an in-person meeting, Zoom call, or a Slack channel dedicated to your book club (no spoilers!).
3. Support Black-Owned Businesses
Another way to support Black-owned businesses is by purchasing items for employees or for the office at large from a local or online Black-owned business. You could look for unique office supplies for each employee to use at work, source artwork from Black artists to decorate the office, or even host a team lunch with food ordered exclusively from Black-owned restaurants. Ask employees to share their favorite local shops to support this endeavor!
4. Donate to Charities That Support Anti-Racism Equity and Equality
Improve workplace culture by working together to choose an anti-racism charity to donate to in the name of your team. Even better, look for a local Black-owned nonprofit where you can donate your time and talents. Serving as a mentor in organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America — which partners with the nation’s largest African American fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Omega Psi Phi — can majorly impact both the mentor and their mentee for the better.
5. Invest In DEI training
Employing individuals with diverse backgrounds can help an organization flourish by embracing the skills and abilities of people from different cultures, races, and ethnicities. With Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training, your employees will take in realistic, practical guidelines for creating a more positive workplace. Thanks to EasyLlama, your next DEI training really can feel like a celebration! Our courses are not the boring, outdated training you’re used to — instead employees will stay engaged with real-life video scenarios, interactive knowledge checks, and self-paced learning.
Inspire new conversations about race, diversity, and inclusion in your workplace with EasyLlama’s full suite of DEI courses, including topics like microaggressions, cultural competency, unconscious bias, and more. Sign up for your free course preview today to learn more about the ways EasyLlama can help you celebrate Black History Month.
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