Black History Month and the Lunar New Year Begin on February 1st

 

As Delegate Lily Qi, of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 15, said in her February 1st information email, it is fitting these two dates coincide this year as our communities become more diverse and integrated than ever and all of us more accustomed to celebrating different cultures and heritage. However, both special occasions should remind all of us that racial and ethnic integration is far from complete and much work remains to be done.

Black History Month

February 1 is the beginning of Black History Month. Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans. Black History Month celebrates their rich cultural heritage, triumphs, and adversities. The 2022 theme, Black Health and Wellness, honors medical scholars and health care providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected minority communities and placed at times crushing burdens on Black health care professionals. 

The Month began in 1926 when the "father of Black history" Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) designated the second week of February as "Negro History Week" and galvanized fellow historians through the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which he founded in 1915. By the late 1960s, Negro History Week had evolved into what is now known as Black History Month. U.S. President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month during the 1976 bicentennial, urging Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." 

Lunar New Year

February 1st also marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by the Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities. This year is the Year of the Tiger. Many Asian cultures historically follow a lunar, rather than solar, calendar, so the Lunar New Year falls on a different day on the Gregorian calendar which the U.S. uses every year: In 2022, Lunar New Year's Eve fell on January 31, and the new year began Tuesday, February 1. While celebrations frequently start the weekend before and continue for weeks after, only the first seven days, January 31 to February 6, are considered public holidays. 

The Lunar New Year is seen as a time of reunion and rebirth, marking the end of winter and the start of spring. The Chinese calendar is on a 12-year cycle, with each year linked to one of a dozen animals -- the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The year 2022 in the Gregorian calendar is designated the Year of the Tiger, the year of bravery, wisdom, and strength.

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Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1075623826/why-is-february-black-history-month

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month