Since 1926, February has been designated as a month to honor African Americans and their contributions to U.S. culture and history. Originally started as Negro History Week by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, it became a month-long celebration of excellence in 1976. While the shortest month of the year, February was strategically chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two men widely credited for their impact on the Black population. Four other notable moments in Black History occurred in February: