February is Black History Month, and this...
February is Black History Month, and this year’s theme is “Creating and Defining the African American Community: Family, Church, Politics and Culture.”
* Carter Godwin Woodson, a Harvard-educated PhD, announced the first Negro History Week in February 1926 to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The celebration became Black History Week in the early 1970s and was expanded to Black History Month in 1976. It is still sponsored by the Assn. for the Study of African American Life and History, an organization Woodson founded in 1915. Check the groups Web site: https://www.artnoir.com/asalh.
* Since 1963, February has also been American Heart Month. The theme for American Heart Month 2001 is “Be Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies. Know the signs of cardiac arrest. Call 911 immediately. Give CPR.” Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of American adults, but the AHA says that by learning the signs of cardiac arrest, acting immediately by calling 911 and giving CPR, people can reduce the risks and consequences of heart disease and stroke. Check the group’s Web site: https://www.americanheart.org.
* February is also National Children’s Dental Health Month. The American Dental Assn. first observed Children’s Dental Day on Feb. 8, 1949. The one-day observance was extended to a week in 1955 and to a month in 1981. Observances often include poster, coloring and essay contests, health fairs, free dental screenings, museum exhibits, classroom presentations and dental office tours. Check the group’s Web site: https://www.ada.org.
* Feb. 14 was Valentine’s Day, but folks at the American Social Health Assn. celebrated National Condom Day. According to the organization, an estimated 15.3 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases are diagnosed every year in the United States. Condoms afford the best protection to avoid contracting or transmitting an infection that people might not even know they have. Check the group’s Web site: https://www.ashastd.org.