February 1 – February 28

Black History Month: speakers, programming & vendors for ERGs services for ERGs.

Black History Month is the annual observance held throughout February in the United States and Canada (and October in the United Kingdom) that recognizes the central role of Black people in history, culture, and contemporary society.

As of 1970Last reviewed May 29, 2026

Black History Month spans the full month of February, honoring the contributions, resilience, and futures of Black communities in the U.S. ERG leaders use this window to elevate Black voices, partners, and programming — and to set the tone for the work that has to continue the other eleven months.

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From FleishmanHillard FleishmanHillard Black @ FH ERG Strengthens Community and Champions Black Excellence Across Global Teams

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FleishmanHillard Black @ FH ERG Strengthens Community and Champions Black Excellence Across Global Teams

Why It Matters

More than a calendar moment.

1976The year Black History Month was federally recognized — expanded from Negro History Week, founded by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926.

47M+Black Americans in the U.S. — roughly 14% of the population and the country's third-largest racial or ethnic group.

OctoberWhen the U.K., Ireland, and the Netherlands observe Black History Month — a reminder that the diaspora is global and February isn't the only window. Canada joins the U.S. in February.

Black History Month is not a tribute month. It's a planning window — one of the only stretches where Black voices, partners, and programming are guaranteed sustained attention from leadership. ERG leaders who treat it as a strategy moment build leverage that lasts into the rest of the year.

The dates were chosen on purpose: February holds the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, the founding of the NAACP, and the ratification of the 15th Amendment. The month carries weight before you add a single calendar invite.

For ERG leaders, the work is twofold: celebrate the breadth of the Black diaspora — African American, Caribbean, African, Afro-Latine — and elevate the contributions of Black colleagues across the business, not just during February.

What follows is the planning architecture: speakers, vendors, programming ideas, and a 6-week timeline — built for ERG leaders who want a month that lands and a year that follows through.

What Not To Do

The BHM pitfalls.

What sinks BHM programming isn't usually a missing speaker — it's a misread of the moment. The three misses worth naming out loud.

Defaulting to slavery and civil rights only.

Black history is also Black futures — tech founders, climate scientists, contemporary artists, joy. Pair the hard history with the present and the future.

Flattening the diaspora.

African American, Afro-Caribbean, African immigrant, and Afro-Latine communities have distinct histories and needs. A single panel can't represent all of them — say so out loud.

Shrinking the month to a soul-food potluck.

Catering is welcome, but if the only programming is a meal, you've turned 28 days of history, scholarship, and Black excellence into a lunch. Pair any food moment with a learning, listening, or action slot.

★ Real ERG Spotlights

Real examples from BHM ERGs.

Short video spotlights from ERG leaders who ran great BHM programming. Borrow the format. Skip the guesswork.

Black · Event

How Stellantis' SAND BRG took 30 employees to Ghana

Ty Levette on the first international trip ever run by a Stellantis ERG — exec buy-in, payment plans, pre-trip grounding, and tying the journey back to the business.

Browse all spotlights →

Live from ERGs.io

Speakers & Vendors

Curated for Black History Month.

Speakers, facilitators, and vendors filtered for BHM programming. Pulled live from ERGs.io — every profile is one click away from a full bio, rate, and inquiry form inside the platform.

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Programming Ideas

Real BHM programming ideas from ERGs.io.

A few of the most-favorited Black History Month ideas ERG leaders are running this year. Open ERGs.io to browse the full library — filtered, saveable, and bookable with vendors.

A+E Global Media BAE ERG and Television Academy Foundation Black Affinity Group Host “Legacy in Motion: The Power of Black Storytelling” Panel Event

The past few months have been hectic in the best way. I've led campaigns, panels, events, and initiatives that I'm incredibly proud of. At the same time, I took a step back from social media (including this platform) to stay focused, remain present, and ground myself in the work itself. So much pulls us away from reflection, so I've been putting down the phone more, and sharing a little less in an effort to listen and experience deeper in real time.As I take a moment to recharge, I'm excited to start sharing a few highlights that have brought me recent joy. First up: our Black @ A+E Global Media employee resource group (BAE) partnered with the Television Academy Foundation's Black Affinity Group and hosted a uniquely curated event, "Legacy In Motion: The Power of Black Storytelling." I had the pleasure of co-moderating this panel alongside the talented Georgette P. to spotlight the work and perspectives of powerhouse creatives Tracey Baker-Simmons, p.g.a., Naturi Naughton-Lewis, and Attika J. Torrence. Together, we dove into a powerful conversation centered on passion, authenticity on screen, network collaboration, ownership, and so much more. The transparency and energy our panelists brought to the discussion was truly motivating!A special thank you to Cliff Decatrel and Mychael Chinn for their thoughtful partnership. Teamwork truly makes the dream work. ✨ More to come soon!

Horizon Coalition ERG Hosts “A Century of Black History Commemoration: Looking Back, Moving Forward” Reflective Dialogue on History, Progress, and Inclusion

A powerful gathering at our recent Coalition ERG event, A Century of Black History Commemoration: Looking Back, Moving Forward. Reflecting on our history and engaging in meaningful dialogue reinforced the importance of honoring the past while building momentum toward progress and inclusion. Thank you to Shavonda Sumter and everyone who joined us. Coalition is a Horizon Employee Resource Group that creates opportunities for employees to connect, learn, and strengthen inclusion across our workplace. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e8ihaTbh

Dalhousie DBBSA Hosts Black History Month Pitch Competition, Gala, and “We Are One” Celebration

Last month was Black History Month (African Heritage Month), and as the co-president of the Dalhousie Black Business Student Association (DBBSA), I had the opportunity to be part of some meaningful moments. We hosted our first—hopefully annual—pitching competition, creating space for innovative ideas and solutions that address challenges within the Black community. Seeing the passion, creativity, and drive in that room was incredibly inspiring.I also had the privilege of attending the 2026 African Heritage Month Gala, where I connected with inspiring leaders, celebrated Black excellence, and was reminded of the power of community, resilience, and culture.To wrap up the month, DBBSA hosted “We Are One”; a celebration that brought us together to embrace our identities, our stories and the richness of our culture. It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to create spaces where we can show up fully and celebrate one another.I am beyond grateful for these experiences and for the community that has made them so special. Last month was a reminder that celebrating our culture isn’t limited to one moment—it’s something we carry forward every day.hashtag#BlackHistoryMonth hashtag#AfricanHeritageMonth hashtag#BlackExcellence

Reflecting on Black History Month Through the Documentary “True North” and Lessons on Identity, Migration, and Equity

During Black History Month, I had the chance to watch the documentary True North.The film talks about the 1969 student protests at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, where Black and Caribbean students, including many Haitian students, stood up against racism. What really stood out to me is that a lot of these Haitian students had already left political issues back home, but still had to deal with discrimination in a new country.What surprised me the most is that this is a story we are rarely taught, even though it is such an important part of history.It made me think about how history, identity, and migration are all connected, and how these conversations are still important today.I also had the chance to meet Madeleine Féquière, which made the experience even more meaningful.I’m grateful for opportunities like this that help me learn and see things from a different perspective.hashtag#BlackHistoryMonth hashtag#HaitianHistory hashtag#Equity hashtag#Representation hashtag#Learning Madeleine Féquière, C.M., ICD.D

CABL BC Chapter Hosts Black History Month Art Exhibition Celebrating Black Excellence in Law and Community

In February, CABL BC Chapter hosted our Black History Month Event and Art Exhibition in collaboration with local Black artists, and we are excited to share a few moments from the evening.It was a powerful gathering of community, connection, and celebration. Black legal professionals, artists, and allies came together at YLaw to honor Black excellence and the contributions of Black leaders across British Columbia. Thank you to everyone who attended, engaged with the artists, and helped create such a vibrant atmosphere. A special thank you to the Dean of the Peter A. Allard School of Law, Ngai Pindell, for his incredible keynote speech.The energy in the room reflected everything we strive for as an organization: representation, empowerment, and meaningful community building.A heartfelt thank‑you to our sponsors Lawson Lundell LLP, Koskie Glavin Gordon, Dentons, Poulus Ensom Smith LLP, and YLaw, for their generous support in making this event possible.

Q1 2026 Highlights at Chan Zuckerberg Community Space: Growth, Community Engagement, and Regional Partnerships in Redwood City

⭐ Wow… where did Q1 2026 go? At the Chan Zuckerberg Community Space, we welcomed 1,800 guests so far this year—and we’re on track to reach a record 9,000 by year’s end. We also grew membership by 30% this quarter 🎉It’s been a fun and full start to the year, wrapping up our 6th art exhibition by the REDWOOD CITY PARKS AND ARTS FOUNDATION, hosting SMC’s first-ever chili cookoff celebrating the Super Bowl coming to the Bay 🌶️🏈, celebrating Black History Month with Peninsula Family Service, welcoming small businesses for the City of Redwood City BOSS meetups, engaging leaders as part of the Leadership Council San Mateo County program, and bringing together a public transportation convening hosted by Commute.org, just to name a few.We also added a new team member—Steven Marshall (yay!)—excited to have him on board as an FTE 🙌On the employee engagement side, ARC ERG rang in the Lunar New Year with a knotting activity (turns out dexterity is not my strength 😅) and amazing food. Loved seeing our Biohub teammates from NY + Chicago join in!Looking ahead—April is National Volunteer Month, and I’ve been jumping into a few giving campaigns. One I’m especially excited about: Walk a Marathon for Kids with Eczema (https://lnkd.in/g8MPb8rT). Safe to say my 1:1s are now officially walking meetings 🚶‍♂️Beyond the day-to-day, I started something new: the Out of Office Club. A space to hang with colleagues, meet new people, and lean into spontaneous hangs, happy hours, and post-work adventures. When the OOO is on, the vibes are strong 🍻Also had a great time at the Thrive Alliance Mix & Mingle—reconnecting with familiar faces, meeting new ones across County of San Mateo, and touring the Bloomhouse by the Emerson Collective. Here’s to an even better Q2!

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Plan Year-Round

Other observances in the calendar.

Every observance gets its own planning page — speakers, vendors, programming ideas, and a timeline.

March

Women's History Month

Plan WHM →

May

AANHPI Heritage Month

AANHPI Month →

May

Mental Health Awareness

Disability Pride Month

Plan DPM →

October

National Coming Out Day

Plan NCOD →

November

Native American Heritage

Plan NAHM →

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