4 Black History Month Videos for Kids

What is Black History Month? Why do we celebrate it in February? These simple questions are a great starting point to talk about Black History Month with your students.

Black History Month (also called African American History Month) is an annual celebration of achievements by Black Americans. The origins of Black History Month date back to the 1920s with a Harvard-trained historian named Carter G. Woodson. In 1925, Woodson created “Negro History Week” to celebrate the contributions of Black Americans. He chose a week in February because it contained the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. This was later expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976.

Photo of Carter G. Woodson, Public Domain

Although many teachers know the importance of teaching Black History, they may lack high-quality materials. To help teachers, I regularly create lists of kid-friendly history videos.

Below you’ll find my top 4 Black History Month videos for kids. These are engaging, factual, and thought-provoking. Enjoy!

“Kids Explain Black History Month” by Global Citizen

In this sweet and poignant video, a few Black students explain what Black History Month means to them.
2 minutes long
My Rating: Ages 8+
Notes: The students in Global Citizen’s video do an excellent job of defining Black History Month in kid-friendly language. They also share personal experiences and explain why learning Black History is important to them.

“The Most Searched: A Celebration of Black History Makers” by Google

Google’s quick, engaging video uses U.S.-based Google Trends Data to identify Black American achievements that were searched more than any others (For example, the most searched female poet was Maya Angelou).

1.5 minutes long
My Rating: Ages 10+ (shows videos of famous performers, including singer Beyoncé and drag queen RuPaul)
Notes: This video is short but so entertaining! Google includes a mix of historical figures and pop culture icons. In addition, this video could give your students ideas for picking a famous Black American for a biography project.

“Why Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois Matter” by MrBettsClass

This video teaches about how Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois contributed to the American civil rights movement in unique ways.
3 minutes long
My Rating: Ages 12+
Notes: This Black History Month video presents the similarities and differences between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. You should know that this video has some challenging vocabulary which I recommend reviewing before watching. In addition, consider slowing down the video and pausing along the way. While watching the video, students could fill out a Venn-diagram comparing and contrasting the two leaders. After watching the video, students could select one leader to learn more about.

“Why Not Everyone Supports Black History Month” by PBSNews

In this PBSNews video, journalist Hari Sreenivasan reports on why some oppose the idea of Black History Month.
5 minutes long
My Rating: Ages 10+
Notes: In this video, several Black leaders make the argument that Black History should not be relegated to one month. Instead, they argue that Black History IS American History. Therefore, it should be taught as part of the World and American History curriculum. After watching this video, students could list arguments for and against celebrating Black History Month.

More Resources

I hope these videos will help you teach about Black History in your classroom.

Still looking for more seasonal resources? I’ve created activity ideas for most major U.S. holidays and seasons. Check them out below! You may also be interested in browsing my collection of free lesson plans.

4 Black History Month Videos for Kids