Black History Month Writing Prompt Ideas (2024)

53 Black History Month Writing Prompts and Ideas are Perfect for Elementary and Middle School Kids — While you’re teaching your students about Black History Month during the month of February, engage them further by encouraging them to learn about what Black History really means.

Ideas for Your Lesson Plans, Social Studies Classes or to Assign as Homework

Getting students to journal about important topics is a great way to get them thinking critically about tough subjects and to help them examine their own beliefs.

With these 53 Black History Month writing prompts and journal topics, students will consider the achievements of notable African-Americans as well as the ramifications of racism in America. Some of the journal topics will push them to imagine life as an enslaved person, while others will ask them to consider the outcomes of the Civil Rights movement.

As your students enjoy writing about these Black History Month journal topics, they will gain a further understanding of what the month is all about. Questioning these important historical events will help students to appreciate the significance of African-American roles in United States history.

Ok, without further ado, here are those Black History Month writing prompts for writers!

53 Black History Month Writing Prompts

Use these Black History Month writing prompts and ideas in your classroom to spotlight the importance of African-American history during this important month. These prompts are appropriate for all grade levels and can be incorporated into any lesson plan. They could also be used to inspire short stories, essays, poems, personal reflections or more.

1. Why do we celebrate Black History Month?
2. Is it important to have Black History Month, or should it be considered part of American history?
3. Why has it taken America so long to have an African American president?
4. Is there still racism in America?
5. The most inspirational story I’ve learned during Black History Month is…
6. The importance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech is…
7. Imagining life as an enslaved person – how would you have felt?
8. How did Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin work to combat slavery?
9. Why did it take the civil rights act so long to be passed? (passed in 1964, outlawed discrimination of all kinds based on race, religion, etc.)
10. Harriet Tubman’s story is significant because…
11. What are some of the most important cultural contributions of the Harlem renaissance? (ex: jazz, literature, etc.)
12. Frederick Douglass is an influential figure in American history because…
13. What would it have been like to be present for the emancipation proclamation speech?
14. If you had been forced into slavery, would you have tried to escape?
15. The civil rights movement changed the world because…
16. George Washington Carver is an important figure in history because…
17. The bonds between enslaved people and some sympathetic plantation hands were…
18. If you lived during the civil war, which side would you have supported?
19. Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. each year in January?
20. If you had grown up as an enslaved person, what would you do to take care of your family?
21. Why did people support slavery?
22. Is civil disobedience (disobeying an unjust law) ever acceptable? (Martin Luther King, Jr. encouraged people to non-violently protest discriminatory laws)
23. It’s important to encourage diversity around the world because…
24. Jackie Robinson is an important figure during Black History Month because…
25. Famous African American figures today who make a difference.
26. Some of the most important inventions that were created by African Americans are…
27. What can we learn from Harriet Jacobs?
    
28. Why do people encourage diversity in schools and workplaces?
29. How can we eliminate prejudice in the world?
30. Should the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) still be around today?
31. What it would have been like to go to a school that was forced to desegregate?
32. Should there be laws for companies to hire a certain percentage of African Americans in order to make up for some of the damage caused by slavery?
33. Abraham Lincoln was a revolutionary president because…
34. If I could ask Rosa Parks one question, I would want to know…
35. Why is it important to have an entire month dedicated to remembering Black history?
36. If you were an enslaved person who wanted to escape, how could you do it without being able to read or write?
37. If you wanted to protest an unfair law to help other people, what would you do?
38. The message of nonviolence taught by Martin Luther King, Jr. was important because…
39. Schools should teach about Black History Month because…
40. One thing that could prevent discrimination is…
41. Imagine what it would be like to fight in the civil war
42. Having a month dedicated to remembering history can…
43. Maya Angelou’s story is an important part of Black history because…
44. Would you have tried to help other enslaved people escape through the underground railroad?
45. The importance of America having its first African-American president
46. Martin Luther King Jr. is inspirational because…
47. What can you learn from someone of another race?
48. People should be treated equally because…
49. If you were an enslaved person who managed to escape, what would you do once you got out?
50. Why is Lincoln considered one of the most important presidents in US history?
51. How could we eliminate racism in the world?
52. Is it important for schools to be racially diverse?
53. If Martin Luther King Jr. Was still alive today, he would think…

I hope you and your students enjoy these Black History Month writing prompts.

• 31 Journal Prompts on Cultural Appreciation
• 61 Writing Prompts to Honor Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Juneteenth Writing Prompts
• February Writing Prompts
• 4 Writing Activities for Celebrating Black History
• Black History Month Worksheets

There are many more journaling prompts and journal topics on this site and more coming soon!

Until then, journal on…

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Jill
journalbuddies.com
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