celebrating black history month at work
how to honor black history month with employees
This article includes 10+ ideas to celebrate and honor Black History Month with your team in a respectful and inclusive way.
February marks the observance of Black History Month, a time dedicated to honoring the achievements and contribution of Black Americans throughout history. Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect, learn and celebrate African American and Black American history, culture, and impact. Celebrating important occasions like BHM will show your team your values, highlight important issues, celebrate Black voices, and support Black communities.
1. Amplify Black voices
Black people should lead the conversation during BHM, but employees should not be responsible. You can seek speakers, panelists, and experts from your field or from different backgrounds to educate and inspire during your BHM events. Do not place the burden of carrying the celebrations on your employees, and steer away from accidentally performing tokenism, even if your intentions are good.
Resources like All American Speakers provide countless excellent Black speakers for events like athletes, business people, artists, activists, and leaders. You can find the right person to suit your field, and your company and create a thriving event full of powerful Black voices.
You should think outside the box, too – turn to influencers, social media activists, and virtual consultants who may be available to speak at your event and engage your audience.
2. Partner with Black-owned businesses and vendors
The most tangible way to support Black business owners is to partner with them through a supplier-diversity program that will bring commercial and social benefits. The goal is to seek relationships and partnerships with underrepresented businesses, such as small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and women-owned businesses.
A consumer survey by McKinsey & Company found that almost half of US consumers thought companies should support Black-owned businesses and brands. Among Gen Z, nearly 90% support companies that address racial equality. The demand for these partnerships and these products is loud and clear and will result in helping your company, your clients, and your community.
This can be a big undertaking, that requires leadership commitment, as this will require the allocation of resources and the drive to implement the program. Defining clear goals is essential, like increasing the percentage of spending with diverse suppliers and fostering economic growth in underrepresented communities. This motivation will make it easier for different stakeholders to bond over a shared goal, and work together to make it come to life.
3. Buy Black-owned product – send a gift to your team
The phrase ‘vote with your dollar’ reminds us that our money has power, and our consumer choices significantly impact the wider economic society. As organizations, we have the resources to make this even more impactful. For Black History Month, you can send your team a gift to your team and support a Black-owned business simultaneously. Check out three awesome companies you can support this month:
BeeLove – BeeLove is a Black-woman-owned company that sells all-natural raw honey and honey-infused body care products. Besides selling gorgeous luxury products and gift sets, BeeLove hires individuals with criminal convictions to give them a second chance and help them rebuild their lives.
Blk & Bold – Two best friends with a passion for tea and coffee set up Blk & Bold, a B-certified corporation providing high-quality products and subscriptions. 5% of their profits are donated to non-profits across America that support children and give them greater opportunities through their For Our Youth initiative.
Frères Branchiaux Candle Co – This home fragrance company sells home care products, including soy and coconut wax candles, room sprays, diffusers, and more. They are small-batch produced, vegan, and come in great reusable and recyclable amber jars with lids. The most remarkable thing about this company? It was founded by three brothers, aged 11-16 – who began their business for a bit of pocket money.
4. Donate to an organization that supports Black communities
Speaking of putting our dollars to good use, what better way to support Black people and communities than to invest in them? You can choose a local organization that is industry-related, such as tech or science, or working on bigger social issues that are important to you and your team.
As an organization, take the initiative and use your revenue to support these causes. You may donate the proceeds of a product or make a cash donation. Please, do not place a financial burden on your employees, you can encourage them to volunteer their skills and expertise during company time, but the company should bear the financial responsibility.
AllStarCode aims to use code to empower young Black boys to take ownership of their futures. By teaching them science and tech skills, young men will be more equipped to take on the future with the proper support.
BEAM, or Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, is a collective of therapists, advocates, and teachers working to eradicate the barriers to Black healing. They seek to make therapy and mental health care accessible.
100 Black Men of America aims to empower communities by creating future leaders. Their mentorship and developing programs help them lead lives that will help them grow up to lead quality lives and thrive. They do this through education, health and wellbeing training, and economic empowerment.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance is led by Black moms for Black moms, as Black Maternal Health is an increasingly worrying cause. Black Mamas Matter Alliance knows women and mothers face reproductive injustice, and gender and racial discrimination must be addressed. Their goals include changing policy, shifting culture, and advancing maternal care for Black moms.
5. Enjoy Black food/support Black-owned restaurants
If you are looking for your next favorite restaurant, there’s a high chance you will find something delicious, thanks to EatOkra. EatOkra is a database engine with over 9,000 Black-owned restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars, food trucks, and more. Their mission is to support Black businesses, celebrate food and heritage, and provide comfort through food across the country.
For a fun team-building event, invite your team to gain practical knowledge and attend a virtual cooking class! You could learn how to cook through a Black History Virtual Cooking Class, one-pot soul food dishes, or make a Southern Brunch.
The main takeaway
This BHM, you can make a difference in your company and your community by supporting Black entrepreneurs and organizations and inspiring your employees to do the same. Celebrating Black excellence is a small step toward achieving a more inclusive and respectful society.
To help you and your team learn together, we have compiled a list of BHM trivia questions covering topics like historical figures, sports people, pop culture, TV and movies, music, and more.
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