Governor Newsom proclaims Black History Month

PROCLAMATION

This year, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of Black Americans who have shaped our state and nation in countless ways through centuries of struggle and triumph. First proposed by scholar Carter G. Woodson in 1926, Black History Month lifts up the Black experience in a fuller telling of America’s story, and selects a theme to highlight facets of history that merit particular attention. 

This year’s theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” explores the impact and meaning of Black history on the status of Black peoples in the modern world. Through every conceivable avenue – from the arts to public and civic service to the sciences – Black Americans have changed the world, broken barriers, and pushed progress forward. 

For more than 175 years, Black Californians have led the way for change and forged a path for those who came after them. Writers like Octavia Butler and Maya Angelou penned classics that transformed the literary world. Organizers like Huey Newton and Angela Davis demonstrated that change was possible. Belva Davis, who recently passed, was the first Black woman TV reporter on the West Coast who provided a new perspective in the news.

The preservation and recognition of Black history has long been a focus in California. The state has been home to a number of Black newspapers and publishing houses, and, notably, the California African American Museum is the first African American museum of art, history, and culture fully supported by a state. 

Maya Angelou said, “I have a great respect for the past. We can only know where we’re going if we know where we’ve been.” During Black History Month, let us reflect on our shared history, and draw inspiration from the progress made as we continue together on the path toward equality, liberty, and opportunity for all.

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim February 2026 as “Black History Month.” 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 1st day of February 2026.

GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California

ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State