The month of February every year has been set aside by the people of the United States to celebrate, honour the achievements, contributions and history of African-Americans from all periods of U.S. history- enslaved people brought from Africa to the African-Americans presently living in the United States. 

Black History Month began with its founding father Dr Carter Godwin Woodson who co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in response to the lack of information on the accomplishments of black people available to the public.

Over the years, other countries such as Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, have joined the United States in officially recognising and celebrating Black History Month and the contributions of the black community to culture and history. It is a period when the black community set the record straight by telling their own stories themselves through black-themed museum exhibitions, book readings in honour of black authors, black music playlists on radio stations, black-centred conversations on social media, among others.

Notable figures often spotlighted during black history month include Dr Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for equal rights for Blacks during the 1950s and 60s; Thurgood Marshall the first African-American judge appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1967; Ms Rosa Parks who helps to initiate the Civil Rights Movement in the United States; Maya Angelou- renowned poet and civil rights activist; Muhammad Ali- one of the greatest boxers in history who fought white domination via his social message of black pride and black resistance, abolitionist and political activist; Harriet Tubman who freed hundreds of enslaved people; Barack Obama- the first African American president of the United States, and Oprah Winfrey.

“We will not march back to what was. We move to what shall be, a country that is bruised, but whole. Benevolent, but bold. Fierce and free.”- Amanda Gorman.

Unknown to some, many black inventors struggled through hardship, racism, and slavery. Yet, they prevailed and proved their genius to the world. The following are but a few inventors of the black community whose inventions have shaped all of our lives.

• Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner – invented the sanitary pad belt and toilet roll holder. 
• Garrett Morgan- invented the traffic light in 1923.
• George Carruthers- an astrophysicist who invented the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph which was used by NASA when it launched Apollo 16 in 1972.
• Patricia Bath- was an ophthalmologist and laser scientist who invented the laser phaco probe, a device used to remove cataracts and revive patients’ eyesight.
• Thomas Jennings- an inventor of a dry-cleaning process called dry-souring. He was granted a patent for it in 1821.
• Sarah Boone – created improvements to the ironing board and on April 26, 1892, obtained patent rights for it.
• Dr Ben Carson- the first surgeon to successfully separate craniopagus twins. 
• David Crosthwait Jr. – a mechanical and electrical engineer who invented central air conditioning and heat transfer systems.
• George .T. Sampson- created the clothes dryer in 1892.
• Frederick McKinley Jones- invented refrigerated trucks used to refrigerate goods on trucks during extended periods of transportation in the mid-1930s. He also co-founded the U.S. Thermo control company called Thermo king.
• William Richardson- created the first baby stroller with independent wheels.

The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health And Wellness,” explores the legacy of black scholars and medical practitioners in western medicine. The theme focuses on fighting the economic, health disparities and discrimination against black people that are present at mainstream health institutions. In the past, black people have embarked on mutual aid and social support initiatives in order to cater to their health issues without facing discrimination and inequity by building hospitals, medical and nursing schools such as Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse school of medicine, Meharry Medical College, among others.

A poll conducted during black maternal Health Week reveals that American black women are three to five times more likely to die during childbirth due to inequity in health care systems and discrimination against black pregnancies. For this year’s black history celebration, at the White House, President Joe Biden stated that his administration will work tirelessly to bring down the cost that families face on child care, housing, education, healthcare, prescription drugs and so much more. He urged everyone to continue to fight for the Equity, opportunity, and dignity to which every Black American is due in equal measure.

Black history month is a reflection of how black people continually fight their struggles by breaking down barriers physically, mentally and socially.