Every February, we celebrate the accomplishments and milestones African Americans have achieved in this country. The long road has not come without struggles, and we still have a lot of work to do.

The origins of Black History month go back over 100 years when Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Its purpose was to research and promote the achievements of Black Americans and those of African descent. The group sponsored its first national Negro History week in February 1926 to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. From then, the event spread across the nation.

ASALH selects a theme every year for Black History Month, and it's no coincidence that entering year three of a pandemic, the theme for 2022 is Black Health and Wellness. This month focuses on strides made by African Americans in the healthcare industry while also acknowledging other forms of medicine throughout the African Diaspora (doulas, midwives, naturopaths, etc.)