<P> Six years later, Black History Month was being celebrated all across the country in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and community centers, both great and small, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial . He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too - often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history". </P> <P> Black History Month was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1987 . It was organised through the leadership of Ghanaian analyst Akyaaba Addai - Sebo, who had served as a coordinator of special projects for the Greater London Council (GLC) and created a collaboration to get it underway . It was first celebrated in London . </P> <P> In 1995, after a motion by politician Jean Augustine, representing the riding of Etobicoke--Lakeshore in Ontario, Canada's House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month and honored Black Canadians . In 2008, Senator Donald Oliver moved to have the Senate officially recognize Black History Month, which was unanimously approved . </P> <P> Black History Month often sparks an annual debate about the continued usefulness and fairness of a designated month dedicated to the history of one race . Criticisms include questions over whether it is appropriate to confine the celebration of Black history to one month, as opposed to integration of Black history into the mainstream education the rest of the year . Another criticism is that contrary to the original inspiration for Black History Month, which was a desire to redress the manner in which American schools failed to represent Black historical figures as anything other than slaves or colonial subjects, Black History Month reduces complex historical figures to overly simplified objects of hero worship . Another criticism is that the celebration is racist . </P>

Who started the celebration of black history month