Black History Month is celebrated in February throughout the United States. It began in 1926 when Carter G. Woodson founded Black History Week and expanded to a full month in the 1970s. The theme for February 2023 is honoring and celebrating Black Resistance.
On January 31, 2023, Governor Phil Scott signed a proclamation recognizing Black History Month in Vermont. In this proclamation it is noted that “Black history is American history: It is rich and storied, and it long predates the First Landings that took place in the 1600s.”
It goes on to recognize that “the Black community was a central and necessary force that drove many of the civil liberties and social values that Americans hold so dear today, and their immeasurable contributions to the nation’s legal and cultural landscape have conferred innumerable benefits on all people in the United States for generations to come.”
“…the Black community in Vermont continues to embody these values through the work of individuals and organizations who have contributed to the social, economic, and political vibrancy of Vermont. Whether seen or unseen, these efforts have led to positive gains for all Vermonters and have moved the state further in its journey towards social justice.”
The full proclamation can be read on the Governors website. Those interested in learning more about Black History in Vermont can visit sites on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail. There is also still time to sign up for and catch up on State of Vermont’s Office of Racial Equity and the Vermont Human Rights Commission Black History Month series.