Last year, Governor Josh Stein marked Black History Month with a proclamation at the North Carolina Executive Mansion.

“Black History Month serves as our reminder that progress never comes easily, but it is necessary,” he said.

These words echoed the larger national message that honoring Black stories is essential to understanding the work still ahead.

Cultural foundations

Much of what the world recognizes as American culture carries the imprint of ethnic creativity. Music offers one of the clearest examples. Born from Black communities in the South, blues and jazz laid the groundwork for rock, soul and popular modern music. Artists with roots in North Carolina— like Nina Simone, whose expressive blend of jazz, blues and activism helped shape 20th-century American music— illustrate how local stories can echo worldwide. Born in Tryon, Simone’s early piano talent blossomed before she became a global cultural icon. Hip-hop also emerged as a global cultural force rooted in storytelling and social commentary.

Language reflects this influence as well, with expressions and rhythms shaped by the community’s speech patterns becoming part of everyday American communication. Food traditions tell a similar story. Southern cuisine, barbecue and comfort foods reflect African roots blended with regional American ingredients. Visual art and literature— from the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and ’30s to contemporary works— have also helped define how America sees itself and how it is seen by the world. Figures like Maya Angelou, who made her home in Winston-Salem while writing and teaching at Wake Forest University, show how North Carolina has been a vessel for voices that shape national culture and conversation.

Political and social change

The Black community has driven many of the most important movements toward justice and equality in American history. Leaders like Frederick Douglass challenged the nation’s conscience during the abolitionist movement. At the same time, organizers and activists during the civil rights era pushed for laws such as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. These efforts were not just about addressing injustice for one community— they reshaped national policy and expanded democratic ideals. Time and again, Black activism has compelled the country to move closer to the values and principles it holds.

Black stories are not a separate chapter of history but are woven into the fabric of the American story itself. To understand the United States more fully is to recognize how deeply this community’s influence has shaped its culture, values and progress.

North Carolina itself played a pivotal role in civil rights history. The Greensboro sit-ins of 1960, led by four North Carolina A&T students, including Joseph McNeil, sparked a wave of non-violent protests that helped desegregate lunch counters across the South and energized the broader civil rights movement. These student activists demonstrated how localized resistance could propel national change, showing that ordinary citizens could confront structural injustice with bravery and moral clarity.

“There are a lot of civil rights stories that must be told,” International Civil Rights Center & Museum CEO John Swaine told Carolina Country (“The Lunch Counter that Sparked a Movement,” April 2017). “But there’s so much more to do.”

North Carolina itself is home to the largest number of four-year Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation— institutions steeped in tradition, activism and innovation that continue to educate future leaders.

Innovation and ingenuity

African Americans have shaped modern life through innovations that support everyday routines in quiet yet profound ways. Garrett Morgan improved the traffic signal, helping make roads safer and influencing systems still in use today. Marie Van Brittan Brown co-developed the first home security system, laying the foundations for modern home safety technology. Dr. Patricia Bath transformed eye care by pioneering laser cataract surgery, restoring sight to millions worldwide.

In science and technology, mathematician Katherine Johnson’s precise calculations were critical to spaceflight navigation and helped advance satellite systems that later supported GPS technology. Gladys West co-created GPS by developing accurate mathematical models of the Earth, making the system reliable and functional.

Across many sectors, Black North Carolinians have also contributed significantly. Business leaders like John Merrick built influential institutions such as the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company— one of the most successful Black-owned businesses of its time, supporting economic empowerment within Black communities.

Across agriculture, education, medicine and business, Black innovators have strengthened the nation’s infrastructure and economy. Many of these contributions are embedded in daily life, often unnoticed but essential.

‘A Century of Commemorations’

The 2026 Black History Month theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” marks 100 years since Black History became a nationally organized observance. From Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s creation of Negro History Week to the establishment of Black History Month, these commemorations have shaped how African American history is taught, preserved and understood. When schools, media and public conversations include these narratives, the American story becomes fuller and more accurate. Inclusion helps people see themselves reflected in the nation’s past and better understand how interconnected American identity truly is.

By honoring Black stories not only as history but as living, evolving contributions, we make space for future voices to shape what America becomes— ensuring that the story ahead is as rich, just and powerful as the legacy behind it.