As Black History Month celebrates its centennial, Jarvis R. Givens’ I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month (Harper; February 3, 2026; $24.99) arrives as a compelling exploration of the origins, evolution, and enduring significance of this landmark observance. Acclaimed Harvard scholar and historian of Black education, Givens, author of American Grammar, offers readers both a personal and political lens on the movement that began in 1926 as “Negro History Week” and blossomed into the nationwide celebration we recognize today.
Through meticulous archival research, intimate family recollections, and the wisdom of Black educators, Givens traces the visionary efforts of Carter G. Woodson and other pioneers who saw Black history as a tool for liberation. More than recounting celebrated figures, the book shines a light on the often-overlooked “workadays”—the ordinary people whose lives and labor shaped communities and preserved collective memory. From Sandy Rufus Youngblood, whose autobiography chronicled his journey from bondage to educator, to Mississippi teacher Mary Ross Jones managing nearly 500 students in improvised church classrooms, Givens highlights how education and storytelling sustained resilience and hope. Even Givens’ own preschool teacher, Myron Ruth Butterfield, is honored for nurturing communal literacy and tradition through songs, poetry, and recitation.
By recovering these overlooked stories, I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD reframes Black History Month as a living tradition built by communities, not just iconic leaders. Givens demonstrates that the everyday realities of Black Americans are integral to understanding the broader history and contemporary relevance of Black life in the United States. These narratives not only deepen historical knowledge but also inspire new possibilities for how Black history is taught, commemorated, and integrated into cultural life.
The book arrives at a pivotal moment when the teaching of Black history faces challenges across schools and public discourse. Givens’ work is a clarion call to reclaim, reimagine, and celebrate a century of Black educational activism and cultural memory. With striking clarity, he invites readers to see Black history as a living, revolutionary force that informs identity, resistance, and hope.
I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD is both a scholarly achievement and a practical guide for educators, activists, and anyone seeking to understand the richness of Black history beyond canonical narratives. As Givens shows, Black history is not only a commemoration of the past—it is a tool for shaping a more equitable and imaginative future.