Lenox

In celebration of Black History Month

Black History Month celebrates the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. This year’s theme is Black Women in American Culture and History. Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson wanted to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to civilization and founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which established Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that marked the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In 1976, the event was expanded to a full month. One of the most heroic episodes in African-American history is that of the Tuskegee Airmen. The World War II movie “Red Tails,” released on Jan. 20, is a fictional account based on the first African-American fighter squad. Its title refers to a distinctive aircraft paint scheme. Developed by Lucasfilm, the movie stars Oscar®…