Creating a Black History Month bulletin board is a great way to share and celebrate Black culture in a few ways. Bulletin boards are a resource that students can learn from again and again. Each time they see the bulletin board in your classroom or the hallway, something new will catch their eye. This is particularly ideal for visual learners. An interactive bulletin board takes learning to the next level. Now the learning experience goes from stagnant to dynamic and truly memorable. Student have an opportunity to engage with the learning of new people and perspectives in a unique way. A Black History Month bulletin board is also a phenomenal addition to your classroom celebration because it is something students can participate in creating. Maybe you begin with an outline, a few basic ideas, but then you allow student input to shift and expand the board to a learning tool that they are not only proud of, but want to learn from and share because it is their creation.
Three fun, unique, and joyful Black History month bulletin boards that you can create or co-create are centered around these themes:
- Black Greek Letter Organizations and Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs)
- Content specific Black Influencers and Innovations
- Countries Around the World
Black Greek Letter Organizations & HBCUs Bulletin Board
Black Greek Letter organizations and HBCUs are two things that students typically know little about. Both were founded for the express purpose of creating a nurturing environment for elevating intellectual minds, uplifting the Black community, and sharing about the rich history of Black people. Sharing this information with your students is an opportunity to highlight joy and innovation and creativity and intelligence.
There are 9 Black Greek letter organizations with men, women, and non-binary members across the world making an impact. You can learn more about each organization in a blog post titled, “9 Powerful People – What are Black Greek Organizations? Why are they important?”.
According to the 2022 US Census there are 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across 19 states. There is so much interesting information for students to learn about the people that have attended HBCUs and the endless opportunities available to students who pursue higher education degrees in this culturally affirming environment. Did you know that Vice President Kamala Harris attended Howard University, an HBCU, and joined the Black Greek letter organization, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority while an undergraduate student?
Trust me, this is one Black History Month bulletin board idea that has endless possibilities!
Content Area Specific Black History Bulletin Board
Another great way to share and celebrate Black culture and Black people on a bulletin board is with content area specific information. Think Black mathematicians, scientists, artists, authors, historians, etc. Although notable Black contributors in every discipline should be shared throughout the school year, a Black History Month bulletin board is a great way to feature several at once. It is an opportunity for students to see just how many BIPOC contributors there are in that field. It is an opportunity to provide a mirror for some students and a window for others. The pictures and biographies can open the door to amazing conversations about the joy and yes, the challenges of achieving in that field. You can easily make this board interactive by including QR codes to picture books about the person read aloud on platforms like YouTube. For younger children, display something like the ABCs of Black History. There are several picture books that could accompany this bulletin board. Here are a few resources to help you get started:
Black History in Countries Around the World
There are Black people all around the world who have historically and are currently making significant contributions to the world in which we live. Although Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week (1926) that later expanded into Black History Month, had a focus on Black Americans and Black American history, the African diaspora is far reaching. Incorporating interesting information about Black people, perspectives, and culture around the world is a perfect way to continue creating a culturally aware and diversity affirming classroom.
Two cool ideas for display this information on a Black History Month bulletin board are:
- Place a graphic of the world on the bulletin board space. Place push pins in different countries with yarn attached and connecting to a biography, photograph, or artifact representing Black heritage in that country.
- Display a large calendar with flaps or pockets for each day of the week. Under each flap or in each pocket place information about different aspects of Black heritage all around the world. Image an advent style calendar with a big reveal each day.
Here are a couple of resources to get you started:
Well, there you have it! Three fun and unique Black History Month bulletin board ideas and a BONUS because I included some resources to get you started with all three ideas.
As always, I recommend incorporating the contributions and stories of Black people, perspectives, culture all school year.
If you use one of these ideas, send me a picture on Instagram @iTeachCustom so I can feature the incredible display!
If you want additional 1:1 guidance click the image below and schedule a 30 minute coaching call with me. This will be a time for us to talk about your joys, challenges, and concerns around facilitating Black heritage lessons.
