25 Black History Month Ideas for Work
Black History Month is a time to celebrate diversity, in particular the contributions of Black Americans to our workplace and country. A month-long celebration is held each February. It's a time to honor the accomplishments of black Americans throughout history.
However, it's not just a time for recognition and celebration. It's also a time to take action and create a more inclusive workplace. Top companies use it as a catalyst to make black history within their organizations.
In this resource, we lay out what you need to know for planning a successful Black History Month celebration as well as 25 black history month ideas for office.
Do's and Don'ts - How to successfully celebrate Black History Month at work
Planning - How to plan an authentic Black History Month at work
Ideas - 25 Black History Month activities for the workplace
If you are looking for information on other HR holidays, see: 40 Earth Day Activities for Work or 25 Black History Month Ideas for Work
Celebrating Black History Month - do’s and don’ts
As diversity and inclusion have become increasingly important to businesses, Black History Month (originally known as negro history week) has become a prominent month on their HR and marketing calendars. So much so that if companies now don't take the time to honor Black History Month, they can look like they don't care about the Black community.
How companies can authentically celebrate Black History Month
The first step to an authentic Black History Month celebration is to examine your company’s why. What is the purpose of honoring Black History Month?
Here are five important reasons for companies to celebrate Black History Month:
1. To learn and grow together
Black History Month is a time to learn about the contributions of black Americans to our country and our workplace. By encouraging employees to share their culture and heritage, we can create a more understanding and inclusive environment for everyone. It may also be a moment to meaningfully addresses issues such as racial justice, equal access, being treated fairly, and other issues facing the black community.
2. To celebrate Black Excellence
During Black History Month we celebrate the accomplishments of famos African Americans throughout history. From inventors and artists to politicians and athletes, black Americans have made countless contributions to our country. By celebrating Black History Month, we can honor these achievements and inspire future generations.
3. To build relationships and trust
Celebrating Black History Month is a great way to build relationships with black colleagues customers, vendors, and, the community. By showing that you value them, you can create a stronger bond and build trust.
4. To boost morale
Black History Month is a time to boost morale among black employees. Recognizing their culture and achievements can help them feel appreciated and valued at your company. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity and employee engagement.
5. To address the inequities in your company
This is perhaps the most important. Turn history month into the occasion to make Black history inside of your own company.
How NOT to recognize Black History Month
Some companies badly miss the mark with their Black History Month activities leaving them open to significant reputational risk. Attempts by white-led organizations to show support for Black communities through token social media, events, and marketing falls flat. Especially when the executives face glaring inequalities right in front of them in their own organization.
Even worse, is when companies come off as promoting history month more for the benefit of adding to their bottom line. When Bath & Body Works, for example, launched a series of kente-cloth-themed beauty products to celebrate the month (more here), there was big backlash.
The best way for companies to honor Black History Month is through a genuine desire to create a sense of inclusion, appreciation and understanding.
How-to plan an authentic Black History Month at work
During your activities, it's important to honor the past and empower African American men and African American women in the future. Here are three important questions to consider:
How can you ensure that your Black history celebration is inclusive and not just for show?
Listen to your Black employees. Ask them about what would make a difference for them at your workplace. Then have them help lead the planning and execution of the activities.
What are some other ways you can support Black team members throughout the year, not just during history month?
To make sure that your Black history activities are more than just lip service. Create ongoing activities that serve Black employees year round.
What kind of resources are you willing to commit to Black History Month?
If you're going to do more than just put up a few posters, you'll need to make sure you have the resources to support your efforts. Plan early to make sure that you have the resources that you need to be allocated in your budget.
25 Ideas - How to celebrate black history month at work
Here are 25 ideas and black history month themes for work. Share them with your HR, marketing, C-Suite executives, and administrative teams. The ideas towards the top of this list are more difficult to implement and will take some time and careful planning. Ideas towards the bottom of the list are easier and quicker to implement. You might like to cross pollenate these suggestions to come up with more unique black history month ideas.
Diversify your executive team
Appoint a new Black board member, senior executive, or even your first African American woman or even a Black CEO. Celebrate your new appointment and educate all of your employees about who they are by sending out a press release and announcing their appointment in your company bulletin. Black leaders are grossly under-represented in corporate America. According to an analysis by Washington Post, only 8% of “C-suite” executives are Black. Taking action to increase racial and ethnic diversity at the top by appointing more black business leaders is one of the most impactful actions you can to honor Black History Month. It can create a ripple effect throughout the organization that will last long after Black History Month. This is a powerful initiative for a black history month human resources team.
Expand targeted recruiting practices
Black employees in the USA hold more entry-level jobs but aren’t promoted from entry-level to managerial positions at the same rate as others, according to McKinsey. Commit to hiring and promoting more Black talent this Black history month. Implement a job rotation or mentorship programs to help Black employees move up. Set goals and measure your results. Read more about how to expand targeted recruiting practices in our resource, here.
Publish your Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy or diversity report
Celebrate Black History Month by releasing your DEI strategy, and diversity report. If you are not ready to publish one yet, announce your commitment to publishing one within the next year. A diversity report contains data on the racial equality, gender, and ethnic composition of your workforce. This is a way to be transparent about your company's progress on diversity and inclusion and show your employees, customers, and investors that you are committed to diversity and inclusion.
Launch an Inclusion Council
An Inclusion Council is made up of people from different backgrounds within the organization who meet regularly to discuss what actions are being taken on inclusion initiatives, how effective they are, and advise on what else needs to be done.
Often led by a senior executive such as a Chief Diversity Officer, they often focus on topics such as inclusive leadership, advancing diverse talent, inclusion training, and employee feedback.
Launch Black Employee Resource Groups
A black employee resource group (or black employee network) is a great way for employees to come together to celebrate and access resources to help them on their career journey. An employee resource group can also be an effective way for employees to let a company know what is not working for them and get support. To be successful they should be properly resourced, give access to mental health resources, and be validated by senior leadership (Harvard Business Review).
Launch diversity and inclusion workshops for all employees
Encourage all your employees to attend a diversity and inclusion workshop during Black history month. Workshop topics should include unconscious bias, inclusion efforts, and creating an environment where a diverse workforce can flourish. Black stories should be front and center during the workshop. The purpose is to have a facilitated conversation about race, open their eyes to racism and educate them on how to avoid it.
Increase Sponsorship opportunities for Black employees
Honor Black history month by scaling mentoring and sponsorship opportunities for Black workers. Many Black workers lack the support they need to thrive (McKinsey). Audit current programs to make sure that they are reaching and serving your Black team members.
You may need to launch a new program specifically tailored to their needs or a reverse mentoring program to give white senior executive a greater understanding and empathy.
Host a networking lunch for Black team members with senior executives
Help Black leaders gain exposure for their too often neglected accomplishments. During history month, provide a platform that showcases their work and talents. Discuss your company's commitment to DEI and advancing the carers of Black employees. Design the event to forge meaningful relationships and facilitate as many lasting personal connections as possible.
Hold a town hall meeting
Celebrate Black History Month by inviting your senior leadership to share your company's vision for diversity and inclusion. Listen to different perspectives and hear how employees feel. The discussion should be led by leaders with diverse cultural backgrounds and representation across the entire company.
Support Black owned businesses
Support Black-owned businesses this history month at work. You may like to commit to spending a certain amount of money each year. Encourage employees to support black owned business as well. Promote them internally and externally.
Support Black nonprofits
Celebrate Black History Month through Black philanthropy. Donate to non-profits that support the Black community, Black culture, Black excellence or help to preserve African American history (such as the civil rights movement). Your company could also contribute to a scholarship fund for Black students, particularly historically black colleges or colleges that your employees attended. Boost company culture by offering matching donations or distributing charitable gift cards for your team to allocate.
Donate products or services
Support the Black community by offering pro bono goods or services to nonprofits that support the black community or black-owned startups. Products and services that can be useful include old computers, IT consulting, and strategic services.
Offer volunteer opportunities
Honor history month at work by giving employees the opportunity to donate their time and skills to supporting relevant causes such as racial injustice, civil rights and police brutality. Offer both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities for employees can support the black community through reputable nonprofits.
Give employees time off
Honor Black history by giving employees a day off to celebrate Black History Month and honor the contributions of Black Americans in their own way. This time can be used to engage in activities such as attending festivals, viewing exhibits, or attending protests.
Host virtual tours of Black museums and cultural institutions
As we now exist in a hybrid workplace, not everyone can attend Black history month in person especially in the tech sector. On idea for a virtual event is to host virtual tours of museums or art galleries that feature Black artists or virtual tours places in history and time where Black history was made. Gather your team on a video call and make your virtual events as interactive as possible by using the chat box and even sending context specific food to employees' home office.
Invite local Black business owners to roundtable discussion
Lock arms with local Black businesses in your community to honor Black history. Host a roundtable dinner and discussion with black business owners. Host it at a black-owned restaurant and feature a performance from a black artist. This is a great way to show your support for the black community and to find out what you can do to help.
Host a meal for black families
Bring your Black team members and their families together to celebrate black history over a meal. Feature local black artists, black music, black authors, speakers, or change-makers from your community. Make sure to host it in a local black owned restaurant.
Sponsor a black art, history, or cultural event
Support Black creatives by sponsoring an event that celebrates Black culture and history. This could include a film screening that highlights history lessons followed by a panel discussion with your DEI leaders and community experts.
Another idea to celebrate Black history month is to host a black musical performance to support black artists and American music, or host an exhibition focused on African American life to support Black art. Consider inviting a broader set of stakeholders, such as your customers and partners, to join your Black History Month celebration.
Shine a spotlight on top black talent in your company
To honor the talents of African Americans this history month, give diverse talent a platform to share their work, experiences, or perspectives in your company all-hands meetings, on your company blog, social media, or other forums.
Elevate the perspectives of Black leaders in your field
Share their opinions on your blog, website, and other outlets this history month. Make a video, podcast, or speaker series featuring black experts and how to be an inclusive culture.
Host a Black book club of film club
Launch a black history book club featuring Black authors (or virtual book club), film club, or speaker series, or host a black history month trivia contest to recognize Black history month at work. Create meaningful programming with takeaways that people in your company can put into action. If you are inviting non-profit leaders from the black community or black authors to your book club to speak, make sure you pay them or donate to their nonprofit. Ideally, these initiatives would span beyond Black History Month.
Share diverse food, music and stories
During Black History Month, highlighting the different cultures and heritage of team members this Black History Month. Share their food, music, and stories possibly via a black history month videos for workplace. This can be a rewarding employee experience for everyone and help diverse talent feel inclusion in the workplace.
Create a Slack or Teams channel
Acknowledge Black history by posting about black luminaries every day throughout Black History month. Keep it open all year round, but make February especially active. This can act as a virtual tour back through history, across sectors and periods.
Send a Black History Month email to employees
During Black History Month, send an email to your employees recognizing, celebrating, and honoring Black history and the contribution of your black team members.
Share why you celebrate black history month at your company. The details of what you have planned for this month and ongoing activities that will take place throughout the year.
Thank your employees for their contributions and support and urge them to continue their efforts beyond Black History Month. Remind them of the importance of engaging in activities such as attending festivals, viewing exhibits, or volunteering.
Conclude by reminding your employees that diversity and inclusion are essential to your company’s success and remind them of the values of inclusivity, respect, openness, integrity, and collaboration.
Conclusion
When we take the time to understand diverse perspectives from our collective history, we create a more inclusive workplace for everyone. This Black History Month, take some time to get to know colleagues, understand the past, advance Black employees inside of your company, and build a shared understanding and a stronger sense of community.
Most importantly, take action on creating equality inside of your workplace. By doing so, we can help break down barriers and make sure that everyone has a seat at the table.
