January is the month when many leaders in the US begin to consider how they will incorporate Black History Month into their workplace observances.February is Black History Month, a time to recognize Black Achievements. It is important to have a game plan to ensure employees do not feel isolated and that efforts made to celebrate Black History Month do not detract from the company’s focus on inclusiveness.
This resource gives 15 quick and easy ideas for Black History Month workplace observations, as well as ways to identify Black History Month faux pas. Each workplace tip is brief and to the point. There is no reason to not incorporate these ideas into your company’s practices. So, why not make celebrating Black History Month a staple in your company’s practices?
What Is the History Behind Black History Month?
Let’s take a look at the history of Black History Month to learn how to observe it in the workplace. in 1926 It was first celebrated as Negro History Week.Carter G. Woodson, along with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), founded the week.They chose the second week of February. The week they chose is when the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass are. Knowing their story helps with how to celebrate Black History Month at work.
The week grew during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month. ASALH now picks a theme each year. The 2026 theme was “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Add a few Black history facts to your plan. They’ve made it simple and fun to celebrate Black History Month at work. Use the ideas in the theme to help you commemorate Black History Month at work.
Why Is It Important to Celebrate Black History Month at Work?
Knowing how to celebrate Black History Month at work matters because people spend the majority of their day at work.Planning events that highlight Black history creates a sense of belonging at work. Building that belonging also helps you create a Strong EVP that attracts and keeps talent. Strong actions in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). focus begin with small initiatives such as learning how to celebrate Black History Month at work. Good leadership is exemplified when leaders participate and play an active role in shaping how to celebrate Black History Month at work.
Highlighting Black History Month at work shows commitment to an equity focused approach and helps employees’ understanding of systemic barriers. It gives employees the ability to expand their cultural awareness, builds psychological safety and helps foster allyship. However, focusing on Black History Month at work, only for a month out of the year, isn’t sufficient. It’s important to find ways to celebrate Black History Month at work that align with year-round initiatives, and incorporate other heritage months and holidays.
Black History Month Themes: Past and Current
A theme gives your plan a clear focus. To learn how to celebrate Black History Month at work with purpose, start with the ASALH theme. In 2026, it was “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Past themes covered Black health, the Black family, and the vote. Check the ASALH site for the newest theme. Then plan how to celebrate Black History Month at work around it.
Match one activity to each week. Week one can be a lunch and learn. Week two can be a book club. Week three can be a service day. Week four can be a fireside chat. This plan shows how to celebrate Black History Month at work without stress. Share it on social media and email to make how to celebrate Black History Month at work clear to all.
| Year | ASALH Theme |
| 2026 | A Century of Black History Commemorations |
| 2025 | African Americans and Labor |
| 2022 | Black Health and Wellness |
| 2021 | The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity |
| 2020 | African Americans and the Vote |
Educational Black History Month Ideas for Work
A central component to how to celebrate Black History Month at work is learning. A great option is to bring in guest speakers. This could be historians, or business leaders to share their stories. Keep things casual with a Fireside chat or lunch and learn. Provide options for remote staff to participate and be a part of the learning. Resources like Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture offer great virtual content and learning to share and incorporate to celebrate Black History Month at work.
Reading is a great option for how to celebrate Black History Month at work. One idea is to form a book club and read books by Black authors. Teach the basics of DEI to business leaders. Send a Black history fact of the week. Resources like The National Museum of African American History and Culture offer great content to share and teach to incorporate Black history at work. You can keep costs low by incorporating various resources that help to show how to celebrate Black history at work.
Ways to Build an Inclusive Workplace During Black History Month
Although the focus on building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace may lessen during the year, there are resources, like employee resource groups (ERGs), that can help with that effort. ERGs are employee led groups, and offer a space to bring shared experiences to the workplace. Remember, do not task Black employees to plan everything. That is a main point in how to celebrate Black History Month at work. Instead, form a volunteer committee. Encourage allies to join the committee. This keeps how to celebrate Black History Month at work.
Last, focus on fostering psychological safety. Host a “Leaders’ Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session. Staff can submit questions anonymously. Leading an AMA builds trust, and provides a psychological safe space. In addition, recognize employees for their inclusive acts with a formal employee recognition program. Last, provide the ability to work flexibly and have inclusive options offered to all employees. This shows how to celebrate Black History Month at work.
Ways to Support Black-Owned Businesses and Amplify Black Voices
Money and attention both matter. One easy answer to how to celebrate Black History Month at work is to choose Black-owned businesses. Send Black-owned lunch to your office. Buy Black-owned gifts for your team. Book Black-owned vendors for your events. This is a great way to check a box for your corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. Don’t stop in February. Make choosing Black-owned businesses a habit and how to celebrate Black History Month at work becomes a part of your yearly routine.
There are things you can do online to celebrate Black History Month as well. Amplify Black voices on social media. Share quotes from Black leaders. Send a special newsletter about Black-owned events and books. Post about upcoming Black history month events and displays in libraries. Ask for permission before featuring someone to avoid tokenism.
Ways to Give Back: Donate, Volunteer, and Mentor
You can pay tribute to Black History Month at work through your employee giving program. Initiate payroll giving to the Equal Justice Initiative, NAACP, UNCF and Black Girls Code.Next, plan a team volunteer day. Because of the pandemic, most volunteers are doing work from home. Hosting a virtual event to paint rocks for Black History Month is an easy way for volunteers to participate. This shows how to celebrate Black History Month at work with a positive impact.
Mentorship is one of the best ways to celebrate Black History Month at work and think beyond this month. This program can be run through organizations such as MENTOR. Match senior leaders with rising Black talent to help advance racial equity at work. This program can provide ways to celebrate Black History Month at work year-round and positively impact employees at all levels.
Mistakes to Avoid When Celebrating Black History Month at Work
Nothing is perfect, and plans can always go wrong. Knowing what to leave out is part of how to celebrate Black History Month at work. There are a number of common missteps, from tokenism to asking Black employees to do all of the planning. Others are publicizing your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion with no action and forgetting your remote employees. The best way to protect your company from these missteps is to turn to your employee resource groups (ERGs).
Time is of the essence. You will have limited opportunities to gather and act upon feedback. Set goals to improve employee engagement and your organization’s spend with Black-owned businesses. This table provides a starting point for ways to celebrate Black History Month at work.
| Common Mistake | Better Move |
| Tokenism | Tie each event to a clear goal and a real action |
| Putting the burden on Black employees | Form a volunteer committee and work with ERGs |
| Posting online with no action | Back posts with donations, hiring, or policy steps |
| One-time event | Build a year-round plan |
| Ignoring remote staff | Offer hybrid and recorded options |
How to Keep the Momentum Going Beyond February
Celebrating Black History Month at work means integrating it into your business practices only for one month of the year. There are other heritage months to add. You can celebrate Juneteenth too. Fund your ERGs. Align your DEI goals with your hiring and promotions goals. Find ways to make the activities you do to celebrate Black History Month part of your practices, systems and processes. Have your DEI goals and priorities aligned to the business. To celebrate Black History Month at work should be part of your daily process. The activities you do should strive to provide measurable outcomes and change year over year.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. You won’t know where you stand with your employees if you don’t measure the results of your initiatives and publicly post them. Pay attention to your employee’s sense of belonging and employee retention. Your change management initiatives should combine a new set of goals each year and improve your processes year over year. The outcome of your change management initiatives should result in a greater sense of belonging for employees and positive outcomes each year.
Conclusion
At work, use what you’ve learned this month to celebrate Black History Month in a meaningful way. You can start with the history and annual theme. Come up with activities appropriate for your team. It can be a guest speaker, or a book club, or a volunteer day. Don’t forget about what you learned to be a year-long celebrator, including your financial support for Black-owned businesses and donations to support the Black Community, as well as your commitment to equality at work, including for remote employees.
What you learned this month shows one month is a beginning. Make lasting changes using your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and don’t fall into the trap of tokenism. Measure the impact of your work and results to make progress every year. Get involved and don’t be a bystander. Good and strong leadership promotes a positive and healthy culture at work. Use this resource to help you in your planning for your company’s Black History Month celebration.
FAQ’s
What are some activities for Black History Month?
Good activities could be hosting a Black guest speaker, participating in a Black author book club, having a lunch and learn, volunteering and getting a meal from a Black-owned restaurant.
How can Black History Month be celebrated?
Support the Black community by learning about and celebrating Black history, by buying, donating and sharing throughout the year.
What are some ideas for a work celebration?
You could request a Black-owned business to provide catered lunch. You could also organize a fireside chat or other events through your ERG. Remote employees could also take the lead to plan these events.
What is the theme for Black History Month in 2026?
The 2026 theme, chosen by ASALH, is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” It marks 100 years since the first Negro History Week in 1926.
What’s a good quote for Black History Month?
Fitting the month’s focus on resilience and change, Frederick Douglass says, “if there is no struggle, there is no progress.”
What do Black people want to be called in 2026?
As an employee resource group member, you can plan an event catered by a Black-owned business. You can also allow remote employees to volunteer to host a Fireside Chat.
What do you call a Black person without being racist?
Say “Black person” or “African American,” and capitalize “Black.” Use a person’s name first, or their heritage if they share it, such as Nigerian American or Jamaican.
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