Black History Month actually began as "Negro History Week", a week in February chosen to include the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. These particular dates were selected in order to ensure the week would not just focus on African Americans, but members of other races connected to the history of African Americans and of the United States as a whole. This week-long tribute was originally established by Carter G. Woodson back in 1926 and it wasn't until 1976, a full 50 years later, that this celebration of an essential part of our country’s history was expanded into the month-long event we recognize today.
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At the time Black History Month began, most history books contained very little information about African Americans, with a few exceptions, such as George Washington Carver. Since its creation, Black History Month has played an important role in highlighting the important contributions of African Americans throughout history. It has been over thirty years since Negro History Week became Black History Month and the hope is held by many that one day it will no longer exist at all, that Black History will simply be part of American History and thus will be taught year-round.
To continue to fight the inequalities noted when Black History Month was created, numerous scholarship awards have been created to encourage students to learn, think, and write more extensively about Black History. While some Black History scholarships are scholarships for minorities, others are essay scholarships open to students of all backgrounds. In addition, many Black History scholarships are local scholarships, sponsored by an organization dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the diversity in history among students in a particular city or state. A few Black History scholarships are listed below. To determine whether you’re eligible for these, as well as many other college scholarships and scholarship essay contests, conduct a free college scholarship search.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Scholarship was established in 1992 by the North Carolina Association of Educators Minority Affairs Commission under the auspices of the Human and Civil Rights Commission. It continues in partnership with the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children. Scholarship awards are based on the amount of money received annually through donations and the Martin [...] More
There are a lot of scholarships out there, some more conventional than others. Last time, we discussed a scholarship for students interested in becoming part of the chicken industry, but even that scholarship is far from the weirdest. There are some scholarships out there that have unusual criteria, to say the least. It may be based on something totally out of your control, like your height or last name. It may be awarded on how much you like a card game, or to whomever comes up with the most creative way to use a household product. It may even be for students interested in… potatoes? No joke, these five scholarships are some of the weirder ones on our site. Are you weird enough to apply? [...]
There are scholarships for everything on Scholarships.com; for every major, every community and every kind of student. In fact, we even offer a scholarship for students interested in the chicken industry. [...]
Across the country, medical schools have seen a dramatic surge in candidates applying to their programs. After almost a year of dealing with the worldwide effects of COVID-19, it appears that the coronavirus has driven students to apply to academic programs that lead to careers as doctors, nurses and public health professionals. [...]
