February is Black History Month, and the theme for 2024 is African Americans and the Arts. The classroom is the perfect place to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans throughout U.S. history. What better way to celebrate this year’s theme than by making some art of your own in the form of an eye-catching bulletin board? Since your classroom door and the bulletin boards around your room are viewed every day by your students, they’re the perfect place to get creative in celebrating Black history. Whether you want to pay homage to historical figures like Harriet Tubman or present-day heroes like Michelle Obama, there are Black History Month bulletin board ideas for every classroom.
1. Quote Harriet Tubman
Equally adorable and inspirational, this bulletin board prominently features a young Black girl alongside a quote from abolitionist Harriet Tubman. We love that the girl’s curls are 3D since it really makes the bulletin board pop off the wall.
2. Reach for the Stars
If you’re going to celebrate Black excellence, Mae Jemison is certainly a good person to start with. What’s more impressive than being an astronaut? How about being an astronaut, a medical doctor, and a trained dancer! Bonus points for this door since it also represents women in STEM!
3. Celebrate the Past, Present, and Future
We love that this Black History Month bulletin board features Black changemakers from not only the past and present but also children and teens who are already on their way to making a difference in the future. Students will surely see themselves in someone like Naomi Wadler, who at just 11 years old gave one of the most powerful speeches at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C.
4. Learn From Black History
Pick your favorite heroes from Black history, then select a verb to pair with them to create this inspiring bulletin board. We love the eye-popping use of rainbow colors to really grab your attention.
5. Get to the Heart of Herstory
This bulletin board works equally well for Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. We love the play on the word history since this board is dedicated exclusively to the incredible ladies out there.
6. Honor Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges makes for the perfect subject for a Black History Month bulletin board or door in an elementary school since students will relate to her age at the time of her heroic act. The fact that Ruby Bridges is still just in her 60s will really drive home to students just how recent segregation occurred.
7. Identify Black Pioneers
Get your students involved with this Black History Month bulletin board by having them research Black pioneers and then having them draw a picture of their subject. Once done, attach them to a simple black background, and voilà! You have your board of firsts!
8. Get Inspired by a Hollywood Film
If you’re a math or science teacher, then this door based on the movie Hidden Figures is the one for you! Not crafty enough to bring this one to life? Enlist the help of your favorite art teacher!
9. Showcase the Power of Black Art
This award-winning door and hallway design features a young artist whose hair transcends the span of Black art history. The hallway features ancient African sculpture as well as more modern artists like Kara Walker and Kehinde Wiley.
10. Honor a Young Poet
As the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, Amanda Gorman is the perfect subject for a Black History Month bulletin board. We especially love the variety of sizes and fonts of the words of her poem as they really call attention to the message.
11. Test Your Students’ Knowledge
Equally informative and fun, this interactive bulletin board challenges students to match the description of the person from Black history with their picture.
12. Celebrate Black Athletes
Since many kids love sports, why not combine that love with Black history on a bulletin board like this one? Be sure to include athletes of different ages across different sports so kids can find someone to look up to regardless of their sport of choice.
13. Draw Inspiration From Maya Angelou
Teach your students about Maya Angelou while challenging them to bring one of her many famous quotes to life. We especially love the chain-style rainbow and animated clouds on this bulletin board.
14. Make a Periodic Table of Black History
This bulletin board is just oh-so unique and would be perfect for a science teacher who wants to celebrate Black history. You can get your students involved with researching Black changemakers to replace the elements.
15. Show Love for Black History
Since both Valentine’s Day and Black History Month are in February, why not combine them into this affordable and easy-to-re-create bulletin board?
16. Raise a Hand for Martin Luther King Jr.
Have your students create painted handprints, then use them to form a heart around a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous quote. Finally, have kids write out what their dream is and attach those to the board as well.
17. Create an Interactive Board
We certainly love a good interactive bulletin board at We Are Teachers! Students can select a card to pull and then read all about the subject.
18. Use Words To Inspire
This bulletin board idea is simple but gets to the heart of the matter. Follow their lead and include quotes by Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and other famous Black Americans, then have your students select words around justice and civil rights to flush out the board.
19. Send a Powerful Message
We love that this Black History Month poster makes it clear that Black history is American history. Make sure that message is in big, bold letters, then select important people and events to complete the poster or bulletin board.
20. Make Some Black Girl Magic
This one’s for the girls! This would be a perfect setup for a library or a case in the hallway because you can incorporate some books into the display. Honor Black women of the past and present, from Sojourner Truth to Oprah Winfrey.
21. Fall in Love With Black History
This is another great bulletin board that combines Valentine’s Day with Black History Month. Have your students trace their own hand, color it, and then cut it out.
22. Break Chains
Black History Month bulletin board ideas that put the focus on famous Black educators, like this one, are certainly among our favorites! Get your students involved by having them create the paper chains or by researching a famous Black educator to include on the board.
23. Create Story Quilts
Harriet Powers, who was born into slavery in Georgia, was the first to use quilts to tell stories. Go over the history behind these story quilts and then have students make their own. Their finished products can be used to piece together a large story quilt that makes up your Black History Month bulletin board.
24. Read Black Authors
This would be the perfect bulletin board/display for a school library, but really it could work in any classroom. We especially love the idea of creating this display above an actual bookshelf with books by Black authors in it.
25. Learn the ABC’s of Black History
Test your (or your students’) knowledge of Black history by seeing if you can come up with an important person or moment for each letter of the alphabet.
26. Explore Little-Known Facts
There are so many things to love about this Black History month bulletin board. First, we love that it features little-known Black history facts. Second, we love that it is interactive and gets students involved and even features a prize for the trivia winners. Finally, because students had to work hard to find the answers, they will likely remember what they learned.
27. Celebrate Different Textures of Hair
The art teacher behind these incredible doors and artworks wanted to show the beauty and versatility of Black hair. We love the variety of textures, styles, and skin tones she included.
28. Honor Black Women in STEM
Some Black History Month bulletin board ideas celebrate not only Black history but women’s history as well. This particular bulletin board puts the focus on Black women in STEM and include engineers, astronauts, scientists, and more.
Learn more: 10 Black Women in STEM at Naomi Meredith
29. Celebrate HBCUs
This bulletin board is a great way to educate students on HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities). The mini pennants are oh-so adorable too!
30. Explore the Roots of Success
This bulletin board is so creative. You can design your man and woman however you want, just be sure to include photos of famous Black women and men on some part of them.
31. Learn Something New Every Day
All you have to do is make a calendar for the month of February with enough room in each day to place one of these educational cards. Each day, read the card and then follow it up with additional research, reading, and even videos to watch.
