10 Highlights Stories to Celebrate Black History Month
To celebrate Black History Month, we dove into our Highlights archives. From space to sports, these original stories and activities from Highlights magazines will inspire you to learn more about Black history all year long.
1. Travel though the timeline of influential Black Americans with this almanac.
Highlights shares a history that includes when Madam C. J. Walker launched a business creating hair care products, eventually becoming the first Black woman millionaire as well as tidbits about W.E. B. Du Bois, Toni Morrison and Oprah Winfrey.
2. Read about George Washington Carver’s journey to becoming one of the most influential men in science.
George Washington Carver showed that from peanuts, farmers could make milk, cheese, butter, candy, ice cream powder, pickles, mock-oysters and flour. In addition, he showed farmers how to make more than 300 non-food products from peanuts, including plastics, paper, insulating boards, dye, ink, soap, shaving lotion and linoleum.
3. Jackie Robinson’s number has a special place in all Major League stadiums.
If you’ve been to a Major League Baseball stadium, you may have noticed a large number 42 somewhere in the stadium. Here’s why.
4. In “My Visit to the White House,” kid reporter Maggie McDow from Ohio had the chance to interview Michelle Obama.
These Highlights stories and activities will inspire you to learn about Black History Month all year long.
5. Willie O’Ree made hockey history in 1958 when he joined the National Hockey League (NHL).
Although talented Black skaters played for many semi-professional hockey teams in Canada, before 1959, no Black man had been allowed to lace up his skates in the NHL.
6. This Amanda Gorman Hidden Pictures puzzle will make you see the power in poetry.
In 2017, poet and advocate Amanda Gorman was named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. But it was during her performance at the 2021 presidential inauguration that Gorman truly caught the world’s attention.
7. Dr. Mae Jemison became the first Black American female astronaut to go into space.
“Heroes are those who recognize their weaknesses and do something about them,” Dr. Mae Jemison, former astronaut.
8. This Simone Biles Hidden Pictures puzzle will make you flip.
You might know Biles from her signature moves or her 7 Olympic medals, but she’s also known for her bravery. Biles has taught countless young athletes that you can do ground-breaking things when you put yourself and your well-being first.
9. Lester Holt talks about telling stories and creating a news show for kids.
Holt answers questions like, “What made you want to be an anchor?” and “What news story did you really enjoy?”
10. Ballerina Misty Copeland faces life with grace.
“I’ve learned to embrace my appearance, skin color and figure,” says Copeland. Copeland wants to help other dancers, especially ballerinas of color, accept themselves, too.
In addition to these stories, our friends at the Highlights Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children’s storytellers, have shared with us some of their favorite children’s books from their partnership with The Brown Bookshelf, a program to amplify Black stories.
Our award-winning magazines for kids deliver a monthly dose of encouragement, keeping kids of every age inspired and challenged. Children’s magazines are great for helping them learn and grow, and kids magazines from Highlights are there for you.
