Each February, we observe Black History Month to remember important people and events in Black history. Black history relates to all citizens and our shared backgrounds as Americans. Use these Flocabulary resources to honor Black history in your curriculum—not just for the month, but all year long.

To ensure these stories are widely available, we’ve made these units free for the month of February.

Our first student-created rap

In February of 2019, Flocabulary held a nation-wide contest calling for students to write and perform raps about an important figure in Black History. The winner was flown to our music studio in New York City to participate in the creation of a song and music video about their person. Our winner ended up writing the lyrics and rapping the song himself, which was beyond what we had ever imagined!

Learn more, and read our Q&A with winner Jaden, and check out his rap about John Lewis.

Learn About Leaders & Figures in Black History

Scroll through to check out what resources exist on Flocabulary, and click on an image to view the lesson.

Learn About Prominent Events in Black History

Voting Selma Thumbnail
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Black History Month Lesson Plans

Write About Your Dream

In this lesson, students will:

  • Experience the text and audio of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech
  • Learn about his key contributions to the Civil Rights Movement
  • Define and explain vocabulary and phrases from the speech
  • Write original raps about their own dreams for the world using quotations from MLK’s speech
View the MLK Lesson Plan
The Story of Ruby Bridges

In this lesson, students will:

  • Learn about and discuss Ruby’s courage and determination in the face of obstacles
  • Write a page from Ruby’s journal from her perspective
  • Compare and contrast Ruby’s story told from first and third person points of view
View the Ruby Bridges Lesson Plan
Voting Rights Then and Now

In this lesson, students will:

  • Analyze what the protesters were fighting for and why the Voting Rights Act was needed
  • Connect the Selma March to current events by examining the SCOTUS 2013 ruling of Shelby County v. Holder
  • Discuss how current events can be seen as examples of continuity and change with regard to voting rights
  • Write and perform a rap or skit that depicts the Supreme Court case in its historical context
View the Voting Rights Act Lesson Plan
Students Teach the Civil Rights Movement

In this lesson, students will:

  • Deepen their understanding of key events in Black history
  • Build their skills interpreting and explaining events in a style appropriate to a certain audience
View the Civil Rights Movement Lesson Plan
"I Have a Dream" Speech Analysis

In this lesson, students will:

  • Review literary terms, rhetorical devices and figurative language with a scavenger hunt through the “I Have a Dream” speech
  • Discuss or write about the speech using the literary terminology
View the “I Have a Dream” Analysis Lesson Plan