Black History Month 2026
“James Baldwin once wrote, in an open letter to Bishop Desmond Tutu, that the fight for Black freedom makes White freedom possible. We will uplift our history. We will protect it. We will promote it. And we will preserve it. We will plant our trees of truth, the ones that tell our story, right beside where they are planting their trees of lies, the ones that seek to erase and distort our story. We will teach our children, future generations, how to choose the path of truth and how to stand tall in moments of adversity, how to bring clarity in moments of confusion, and how to choose and embrace love instead of hate. Black History Month belongs to us—we do not celebrate because they see us, we celebrate because we see ourselves. We do not ask for permission to center ourselves; we write the stories where we are centered, and then we tell that story. We do not sing songs of freedom because they are playing the music; we sing because we are the music makers, and we carry the songs of our ancestors and bring that music to our people. We do not wait for anyone to write our story; our history has already been written, as we are the history seekers and the truth speakers. Black history is American History, and as we have done every year since 1926, we will proclaim and celebrate Black History Month!”
-Dr. Karsonya “Dr. Kaye” Wise Whitehead“James Baldwin once wrote, in an open letter to Bishop Desmond Tutu, that the fight for Black freedom makes White freedom possible. We will uplift our history. We will protect it. We will promote it. And we will preserve it. We will plant our trees of truth, the ones that tell our story, right beside where they are planting their trees of lies, the ones that seek to erase and distort our story. We will teach our children, future generations, how to choose the path of truth and how to stand tall in moments of adversity, how to bring clarity in moments of confusion, and how to choose and embrace love instead of hate. Black History Month belongs to us—we do not celebrate because they see us, we celebrate because we see ourselves. We do not ask for permission to center ourselves; we write the stories where we are centered, and then we tell that story. We do not sing songs of freedom because they are playing the music; we sing because we are the music makers, and we carry the songs of our ancestors and bring that music to our people. We do not wait for anyone to write our story; our history has already been written, as we are the history seekers and the truth speakers. Black history is American History, and as we have done every year since 1926, we will proclaim and celebrate Black History Month!”
-Dr. Karsonya “Dr. Kaye” Wise Whitehead
Every U.S. president since 1976 has designated February as Black History Month. This past month at Harborlight, our classrooms have been actively engaged in learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and honoring Black History Month. In Children’s House, students are enjoying age-appropriate stories. Lower Elementary students are researching historical Black figures to share with their classmates. Upper Elementary students are reading a biography of Martin Luther King Jr. and discussing his profound impact on the civil rights movement, both here in the United States and around the world. We are excited to see the wonderful work happening in our classrooms; these conversations are essential for advancing equity in our community. We must reflect, act, and center the Black experience and history as an integral component of our nation’s story. We acknowledge that this journey requires our ongoing commitment and work. As we study history and learn from it, we gain powerful knowledge because Black history is our history.
For music lovers: Black Composers: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress
Amanda Gorman Books for Children:
Change Sings, A Children’s Anthem
Something, Someday
And her Inaugural Poem: The Hill We Climb
"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations." — Dr. Mae Jemison
“I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” ― Malcolm X
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Harborlight Montessori is a non-profit, private, independent, school for students from Preschool through Grade 8.
Middle School, Elementary, Preschool, Afterschool, Summer Programs, Vacation Week Programs
Middle School, Elementary, Preschool, Afterschool, Summer Programs, Vacation Week Programs
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