The Importance of Black History

Read the following with your child:

We celebrate Black History Month to remember important people and events in the history of the African-American culture. The reason we are referred to as "African-American" is because our ancestors came by boat from Africa to America from the 1600s through to 1808 when the United States Government outlawed participation in the African slave trade. These Africans were forced to be slaves in America. In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that abolished slavery in territory controlled by the Confederacy. Their newfound freedom was not easy for African-Americans. Instead, African-Americans fought an uphill battle to be treated as equal Americans. During Black History Month, you will learn about the people who have helped give African-Americans the equal rights they have today and the people who will inspire future generations to give back to their community.

Activity: What Freedom Means to Me

What You Need:

• A printed copy of the What Freedom Means to Me activity
• Crayons
• A pencil

1. Engage in a conversation with your child and ask them to talk about a time when they thought something done or said to them was unfair. Now tell them that slaves felt that way all the time. Ask your child to think about how they would feel if things were always unfair. Then ask them to think about how they think they would feel if they were not treated fairly and were given freedom for the first time.
2. Give your child a copy of What Freedom Means to me and fill it out together. The top half asks your child to draw a picture and the bottom half has some questions for you to talk about together.
3. If your child needs help, give them examples of how they are free (they can go to school, they can be any profession they want, etc).
4. Ask your child what they learned today at the end of the activity.