Mountain Lake PBS is proud to celebrate Black History this February and all year round!
February is Black History Month, a time to honor the important role African Americans play in the story of our country. Originating as a week-long celebration in 1926, organized by historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans of the time, Black History Month was nationally recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976.
Today we continue this tradition with celebrations, lectures, performances, documentaries, and more to expand our understanding of the pivotal role in shaping U.S. history and culture played by Americans of African descent. Continue below for resources to celebrate and learn about Black culture, history, and trailblazing leaders, while helping your family engage in important conversations. Then, explore more with Learn Along Bingo sheets full of printable activities and everyday learning ideas for children grades Pre-K to 2!
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Learn About Black History & Culture
Teaching Your Child About Black History
Grades PreK-3
Introduce children to books and stories that reflect cultures and ethnicities and celebrate Black history and cultural diversity all year long.
Children’s Books to Celebrate Black Culture
Grades PreK-5
Understanding and celebrating diverse cultures begins the moment children begin exploring and reading books. Here are nine books that celebrate and offer windows into the world of Black lives and culture.
Being Black in the Adirondacks: Past and Present | Adirondacks for All
Grades 3-12
Explore the diverse experiences of Black communities in the Adirondacks, past and present. Tracing back to the mid-1800s, uncover the remarkable tale of an experiment with racial justice, where free African Americans migrated to the Adirondacks to farm the land and secure voting rights. Then, fast forward to the summer of 2023, as an assembly of activists, educators, and Adirondack community members converge to joyously celebrate the unveiling of a new historical marker – a testament to the resilience and contributions of African American settlers.
Are You “Black” or “African American?” | Say It Loud
Grades 6-12
Throughout American history people of the African Diaspora have been called so many things…all the things…but what does it truly mean, and how does it impact or affect the way we see ourselves?
Say It Loud is a PBS Digital Studios series that celebrates Black culture, context, and history, exploring the complexity of Black experience and finding joy in the many ways Black folks have influenced American life.
Making Black America: Through the Grapevine collection
Grades 6-12
MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE is a four-part series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. which chronicles the vast networks and organizations created by and for Black people. The series explores the extraordinary world that showcased Black people’s ability to collectively prosper, defy white supremacy and define Blackness in ways that transformed America itself. This collection of educational resources exploring the series includes video clips, classroom activities, background reading and more.
Black Leaders & Visionaries
Maya Angelou | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Grades K-2
Learn about Maya Angelou, poet, author, and civil rights activist, with this printable biosketch reader and classroom activities. Maya Angelou inspired people around the world with her words, selling millions of copies of her books, which were translated into more than 30 languages!
John Lewis | Civil Rights Movement
Grades 3-12
Explore the life and legacy of John Lewis, a civil rights activist and former U.S. Congressman. Raised on a cotton field in rural Alabama, Lewis served on the frontline of the civil rights movement to end systematic racial segregation. From speaking at the March on Washington to enduring severe beatings as he participated in the Freedom Rides, John Lewis continued the fight for equality as a U.S. Congressman.
The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers | Neil deGrasse Tyson
Grades 6-12
In this video profile from NOVA scienceNOW: “The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers,” meet astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who was “called” to study the cosmos at the age of nine. Tyson describes the two events that influenced his decision to become an astrophysicist: first, a live planetarium show, and, two years later, receiving his first telescope. From then on, he was hooked.
Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect collection
Grades 6-12
Bring history and civics to life as students explore the legacy of Thurgood Marshall—visionary lawyer, civil rights leader, and the first Black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Known as America’s social architect, Thurgood Marshall reshaped democracy through law as he fought segregation, strengthened voting rights, and challenged injustices, proving one person can make a lasting difference.
Augusta Savage and the Harlem Renaissance | Searching for Augusta Savage
Grades 6-12
Explore August Savage’s role in the Harlem Renaissance not only as a prominent artist but also as a mentor to other artists and an advocate for her community. This media gallery from Searching for Augusta Savage tells her story and illuminates the individuals and groups who sparked the growth of the Black artistic community during this dynamic period of artistic and social history in the United States.
Learn Along Bingo
With Learn Along Bingo, children can view, explore, and play as they learn alongside their PBS KIDS friends on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel. We hope your family will use it to inspire learning each and every day.
This time, we’re learning about Black Leaders. Identifying specific contributions of people, past and present is important. We learn to celebrate individuals and the part they play in our lives.
Grades PreK-K
Play & Learn: In this packet, there are printable activities and everyday learning ideas for you and your child to choose from. As you complete each square, mark it off to celebrate the learning!
Grades 1-2
Play & Learn: In this packet, there are printable activities and everyday learning ideas for you and your child to choose from. As you complete each square, mark it off to celebrate the learning!
For even more games and educational resources for young learners, go to the Celebrating Black Leaders collection on PBS KIDS for Parents.