Celebrating Black History Month

On February 6, 2024, the LA County Board of Supervisors passed a motion proclaiming the month of February as “African American History Month” throughout Los Angeles County. This annual observance, which originated in 1926 as “Negro History Week” by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, has evolved into a month-long celebration dedicated to honoring the rich history, achievements, and contributions of African Americans. We celebrate the contributions of African Americans and acknowledge the pivotal role Black Angelenos have played in shaping the history and trajectory of our diverse county.

In LA County, we continue to celebrate African Americans’ contributions while recognizing the ongoing need for equity and justice. African Americans continue to experience hate crimes, highlighting our collective responsibility to redress harm, build spaces of belonging and create safety within our communities. ARDI and the Department of Human Resources, in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer, LA County Sheriff’s Department, and the Human Relations Commission (HRC), will create trainings for LA County personnel and local law enforcement agencies to educate them on anti-Blackness and promote culturally sensitive identity-based prevention methods and responses. These efforts will build upon existing activities by ARDI and HRC to combat identity-based hate impacting communities across the County.