Mia Rincon/CPR Black History Month, like many nationally recognized observances, is a continuous representation of American history. In 1926, the second week of February (in relation to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12th, and Frederick Douglas’s birthday on February 14th) was chosen to recognize the importance of contributions made by Black Americans to the country. Black historian Carter G. Woodson was looking for a way Black history could be taught and celebrated across the country, a way that specifically dispelled myths about how Black enslaved peoples were treated before and after the Civil War. Initially, Negro History Week was only adopted by a handful of school administrations and state departments of education, including those in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The event continued to grow throughout the country in the following decades, with the help of Black churches and press spreading the word.