Inside: Stop searching for Black History Month bulletin board ideas because you found it! This interactive bulletin board is perfect for your class.
Looking for shiny new Black History Month Bulletin Board ideas and inspiration? Most teachers are right now, right? This is such an important topic to cover, no matter what subject you teach. Frankly, Black History should be taught all year, not just one month of the year, but that is another topic for another time.
The bulletin board I am about to show you features 12 African-Americans that faced incredible challenges and yet despite everything, succeeded. They now have important careers dedicated to making human life better.
Table of Contents
Why Do We Celebrate Black History Month in February?
Black History has not always been celebrated. It first started in 1976. Its purpose is to celebrate the contributions and sacrifices Black Americans have made over the course of history. It is celebrated in February because of Carter Woodson, a scholar and the second Black person to graduate from Harvard. He chose February because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass both have birthdays in this month. Both of these individuals were instrumental in freeing the slaves.
Short Bio of Included African-Americans
Dr. Patricia Bath
Patricia Bath is most well-known for her invention of a laser probe that removes cataracts from eyes. She also worked to making eye care a basic human right.
David Harold Blackwell
A mathematician by trade, he made enormous contributions to game theory and statistics. He was the first African-American to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
Guion Bluford
Bluford was originally a combat pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He then became an astronaut for NASA and was the first African-American in space.
Dr. Mark Dean
As an engineer for IBM, Dean helped to invent the first personal computer. This changed the way humans utilize computers and devices.
Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson
This popular scientist is also an author and TV host. He has been on several shows and has received many awards for his expertise in the field of astronomy.
Sarah E. Goode
An inventor, Good became the first African-American woman to sign a patent. She is credited with inventing a folding cabinet bed.
Thomas L. Jennings
Jennings, an inventor, was the first African-American to receive a patent. He invented a dry-cleaning process that revolutionized the business.
Dr. Mae Jemison
Jemison spent 8 days in space. She is credited with being the fist African-American woman in space. Before her job as an astronaut, she was a physician.
Katherine Johnson
Known as a “human computer”, Johnson worked for NASA for over 30 years. She helped get astronauts to the moon safely.
Dr. Kyla McMullen
Dr. McMullen is the first African-American woman to receive her Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Michigan.
Dr. James McLurkin
McLurkin currently works for Google as an engineer. He is credited with inventing over 100 robots!
Dr. Reva K. Williams
Williams is an astrophysicist. She was also the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in this major.
Tips and Techniques for teaching Black History Month Lessons
There are many different ways to teach Black History. For instance, this blog post is about using a bulletin board for this exact purpose.
The Center for Racial Justice in Education has a great website that offers many ideas. Make sure to check it out.
Another great site is NPR. This site has a great article called Teaching Students a New Black History and also a 3 minute podcast. Check it out here.
Black History Month Bulletin Board Example
Black History Month Bulletin Board Heading
Included with this bulletin board set are the letters spelling out “Black History Month”. What makes this lettering great is the ability for the teacher to print them on any colored paper of their choice. I really like printing on white paper and backing the letters with a different color.
Use the settings on your printer to make the letters larger or smaller to suit your individual bulletin boards!
How to Make This Bulletin Board Interactive
You can simply affix these posters to your bulletin board and call it a day. But that wouldn’t be any fun! Here are some suggestions to make this bulletin board interactive and take their learning to a new level.
- Before displaying the posters on the bulletin board, place them around the room. Have students complete a “gallery walk”. This simply means they walk around the room observing each poster. They can use Post Its to leave a comment about something they admired about that person near the poster.
- If your students are too young for the first method, read the posters to the class and have students write a comment on a paper. Go over their thoughts at the end.
- Randomly assign one person from the bulletin board to a set of students. Their task is to use the research sheet to find out more about their person. There is a lot out there! Students can give a report on their findings and then post their research paper next to the person on the bulletin board.
- Instead of using the African-Americans from the bulletin boards, give your students a different kind of challenge. Have them find a different notable African-American that they feel should be added to the bulletin board.
- Have a debate as to which new African-American they found is the most important to American history.
FYI: I created everything here by using PowerPoint. I just LOVE PowerPoint, it is so much more than just presentation software. If you want to sharpen your PowerPoint skills, check out my PowerPoint Tips blog here.
Finish With Exit Tickets
One way to close this Black History bulletin board idea lesson is with Exit Tickets. Using exit tickets gives your students one last chance to reflect upon the lesson. They also give the teacher a better understanding of who grasped the information and who needs a bit more time. They are great for differentiation!
These exit tickets are great because they offer editable and pre-made tickets. There are also larger sizes. I personally like half-sheet tickets, to allow my students to draw as well as write their answer.
Check out my blog about using printable exit tickets in the classroom. Or visit my TPT store to snag them for yourself!
Black History Month Books for Your Classroom
How about a Super Duper Planets Freebie??
Teacher friends, this freebie contains so much information! Download it for free and let me know what you think. I know you will love it.
How Do I get This Black History Month Bulletin Board Idea?
I am so excited to share this resource with you! It includes not only the twelve scientists, but the bulletin board heading as well. I am looking forward to hearing how teachers use this item in their classroom. Please let me know!
Additional Black History Month Ideas
Black History Month Activity Booklet
$3.75
Black History Month Lesson Bundle
$12.00
Black History Month Activity James McLurkin
$3.00
Black History Month Activity – Patricia Bath
$3.00
Black History Month Activity – James Harris
$3.00
Black History Month Activity – Mark Dean
$3.00
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