Welcome to a guide that shows you how to honor Black History Month on social media. With the power of the internet, you can pay tribute to the achievements and contributions of African Americans engagingly and respectfully.
Whether you’re a person, a group, or a company, we’ll help you find easy and thoughtful ways to celebrate Black History Month on your social media accounts and raise awareness.
Why Brands Should Celebrate Black History Month on Social Media
#1: A Brief History Lesson
Since 1976, every U.S. president has declared February as Black History Month.
The roots of Black History Month go back to 1915 when an organization called ASALH, led by a historian named Carter G. Woodson who had studied at Harvard, was established.
ASALH focused on researching the accomplishments of Black Americans and people of African descent.
In 1926, ASALH organized Negro History Week during the second week of February to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. They aimed to encourage schools and communities across the United States to arrange local events, activities, and talks to teach Black history in a new way.
From 1926 to 1976, mayors in many cities made annual proclamations to celebrate Negro History Week.
By the 1960s, this week had expanded into a full month of celebrations, and President Gerald Ford made it a national observance in 1976.
Today, Black History Month is also observed in other countries, such as Canada (also in February) and the UK (in October).
#2: The Importance of Diversity in Marketing
Diversity in marketing matters to young people (like millennials and Gen Z). These groups have a big say in what people buy, and they’ll keep doing so in the future.
It’s good to celebrate Black History Month, but it’s even better to support and work with Black-owned businesses and creators all year long. This helps you build real connections.
And don’t forget, just being on social media isn’t enough. Your company’s values and how it works inside are important too. Your brand should believe and act the same way both on the outside and inside.
5 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month on Social Media
While you’re thinking about your Black History Month content for this year, here are five ways to make a presence on social media:
- Highlight Creators and Businesses
- Share Stories and Voices
- Teach History and Share Interesting Facts
- Share Inspiring Quotes
- Support Positive Change
#1: Creator and Business Spotlights
Sharing stories about Black creators, business owners, and brands in your field is a great way to let your audience know about people and businesses they can support.
Make a series of posts with pictures to showcase Black creators, what they create, and why they’re inspiring.
Look at what Adobe did with their #WomenCreateWednesday series, where they talked about artist Vanessa Brantley Newton.
#2: Pass the Mic
“Passing the mic” is about using your platform to make Black stories louder, in their own words.
Think of it as giving them the stage while you cheer them on from the side.
You can do this by letting Black creators take over your Instagram Stories and talk about their own experiences.
Or, you can go all in and let them run the show.
#3: History Lessons and Noteworthy Facts
Teaching history is a good way to celebrate Black History Month on social media.
Instead of just talking about famous people like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks, try to find interesting stories that are not so well-known.
For example, if you sell ice cream, you can tell the story of Alfred Craelle, who made the ice cream scooper to help waiters serve ice cream better in 1897.
If you have a small business, you can talk about Madam C.J. Walker, who was the first woman in America to become a millionaire by starting her own business.
And if you’re a non-profit, you can share short videos about black people who have done great things for your cause.
You can share these history lessons as regular posts, or short videos on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, or even write articles on your website.
#4: Quote Posts
People like to share quotes that inspire them on social media. It helps both companies and creators get more attention.
During Black History Month, there are many amazing black leaders and voices to talk about.
You can also use these quotes to start conversations and get lots of comments, just like The Creative Collective NYC did.
#5: Support the Community and Advocate for Change
Black History Month is a good time to tell people about local community projects and keep helping them.
You can sell a special thing and give some of the money to a good cause, like Kotn: 
Or you can use this month to talk about a problem in your business and share how you’re trying to make it better. Like Macy’s store, they started giving more space to businesses owned by BIPOC:
Black History Month is a chance to get people to notice and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
With a good plan for social media, you can help make the online world more friendly and fair this year and in the future.