Teachers: Visit the free MY HERO Black History Month Lesson Multimedia Plan. Includes discussion and activity guide and learning outcomes.
Watch these short films from the MY HERO Library. Total viewng time, 22 minutes
A visual and musical interpretation of American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou’s electrifying poem "Still I Rise." 4 minutes.
This is an animated film that chronicles the extraordinary story of social justice warrior Songhai Armstead. 6 minutes
Watch this 60 minute salon hosted by Eva Haller with guests Charlotte Mangin and Sandra Rattley from the UNLADYLIKE2020 Project, 'BlackHERstory'.
Eva Haller hosts guests from the MY HERO Team joined by Charlotte Mangin and Sandra Rattley from the UNLADYLIKE2020 Project
Click here to see our showcase of films, art and stories about Congressman John Lewis
To Celebrate Black History Month, we present stories, films, art and audio from the MY HERO archive highlighting the life of Congressman and Civil Rights Hero John Lewis.
Emerging Filmmakers
The following films by emerging student filmmakers have been recognized at the MY HERO International Film Festival.
An expressionistic account of a devastating historical event by emerging filmmaker Gabrielle Gorman.
Heroes celebrated at the recent MY HERO Film Festivals
The Equal Justice Initiative
Margot Lee Shetterly - Shining a Light on Hidden Figures
Katherine Johnson has become a household name thanks to writer and researcher Margot Lee Shetterly. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson were African American mathematicians, at that time called “human computers,” who worked for NASA during the space race.
Our Curated Showcases
Click on the following thumbnails for curated stories, art and films on Civil Rights Heroes and World Leaders; Heroes in Art, Music & Literature; Sports Heroes; and Science Heroes, as we celebrate Black History Month.
MY HERO Celebrates Black History Month. Be Inspired by African American Civil Rights Heroes and World Leaders Barack Obama, Ralph Bunche, Michelle Obama.
MY HERO Celebrates Black History Month. Be inspired by African American Heroes in Music, Art, and Literature: Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Dizzy Gillepsie, Louis Armstrong, more.
MY HERO Celebrates Black History Month. Be inspired by African American Heroes in Sports who broke personal and professional barriers.
MY HERO Celebrates Black History with this feature on Heroes in the Sciences.
Lean more about LeVar Burton's 'Reading Rainbow' series
Amanda Gorman, America's First Youth Poet Laureate
"For there was always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it." Audio of The Hill We Climb
The historian Carter Woodson is known as the "Father of Black History Month."
In 1926, he established Negro History Week. He chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Half a century later, this observance evolved into Black History Month, which we celebrate during the entire month of February.
Carter Woodson, "Father of Black History Month," founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
Stories of black heroes in history across disciplines
Stories for Younger Readers, by Younger Readers
Viola Desmond was a black Canadian who refused to give up her seat in the whites' only section of a movie theater, which helped spark the civil rights movement in Canada.
Black History Month Films reflecting on the fight for civil rights
Two very talented Jazz musicians perform a tribute to MLK Jr. and the leadership of the March on Washington D.C. in 1963. The film features Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa.
This documentary tells the story of William D. Matthews, the first African American officer in the Civil War, who assisted slaves escaping through the Underground Railroad, and heroically led troops to victory.
Links to more Black History Month resources.
Timeline of Black History from Infoplease
Mission: "Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records. The content is written and edited by professional editors, and the site has received numerous awards and accolades since launch. Parents, teachers and librarians turn to Infoplease for information on an array of topics, including current events, pop culture, science, government and history. "
From USA Today: celebrate Black History Month by watching these movies that depict the lives of African-American heroes and the ongoing quest for greater human decency.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum
Mission: "(1) To preserve, present, and interpret African American history and to engage a broad and diverse audience through these activities. (2) To promote an understanding among various groups that comprise the St. Petersburg community to enhance our ability as a society to respect, value diversity, and foster equal rights and social justice."
National Museum of African American History and Culture
The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened Sept. 24, 2016, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Occupying a prominent 5-acre location next to the Washington Monument, the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history.
Official Website | African American History Month
A joint tribute from The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
PBS - 10 Little Known Black History Facts
America’s Largest Classroom
As America’s largest classroom, PBS is available to all of America’s children – including those who can’t attend preschool – and offers educational media that help prepare children for success in school. PBS is committed to bringing the power of media into the classroom - helping educators to engage students in new and different ways.
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Short films curated by MY HERO International Film Festival director Wendy Milette. |
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Hero Stories curated by MY HERO General Editor and Story Director Abigail Richardson. |
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Audio curated by MY HERO Audio director Stu Pearlman. |
Organizer created on 1/26/2015 12:46:18 PM by
Last edited 3/13/2025 5:00:29 AM by Abigail Richardson
