Black History Month is here! But what exactly is this month and how do you explain it to your kids? Thanks to Carter G. Woodson Black History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate African-American people. We put together a few tips for you to keep in mind while teaching your young ones about the importance of this month.

Start with the idea of fairness

All children understand the idea of unfairness, which makes it a great place to start when explaining the difficult parts of history. You can explain how African-Americans were treated unfairly for hundreds of years and fought for over a century to be treated like everyone else. As your children get older, you can explain to them the history in more detail.

Talk about the positives!

Remember–Black History is more than just hardship! Talk about the amazing contributions they have made to society as a whole. A great place to start is to teach your kids about the impact of Black music, Black scientists and inventors, activists, and any other important cultural contributions. There are a ton!

  Don’t forget to mention the present

 Remind your kids that the fight is not yet over and that inequality still exists. History is still being made every day, and by learning about Black History they are contributing to the fight for freedom and equality for all!

It’s never too young to teach your kid to celebrate differences and to have respect for different backgrounds. And it’s also never too late to teach yourself more. After all,  Black History is American History and is something we should all know and appreciate.