Black History Month Program Order and Timing
Black History Month is observed in February in the United States and Canada. It grew from Negro History Week, started by historian Carter G. Woodson and ASALH in 1926, and has been recognized nationally in the US since 1976. This order fits a 90-minute community or church program, with a fellowship meal or market afterwards. Times are offsets from the start. Put the final version on one page with a cue and an owner for every line, and print a short version for guests with our event program template.
| Time | Segment | Who | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| −0:15 | Prelude music, guests seated | Musicians, choir or playlist | Reserve seats for elders, honorees and guests with mobility needs |
| 0:00 | Welcome and purpose | Emcee | 3 minutes: host, purpose, the year's theme, timing, accessibility notes |
| 0:03 | Moment of reflection or invocation | Faith leader or emcee | 2 minutes; choose the version that fits the room |
| 0:05 | Opening song | Choir, soloist or all | 4 minutes; many programs open with "Lift Every Voice and Sing" |
| 0:10 | Readings | 3 readers | Short pieces by Black writers and leaders, about 2 minutes each, introduced by title and author |
| 0:18 | Youth presentations | Students or youth groups | Biography, essay, poem or poster winners, 3 minutes each |
| 0:33 | Music, dance or spoken word | Choir, praise dance, step team or drummers | 5 to 7 minutes |
| 0:40 | Keynote introduction | Host leader | 1 to 2 minutes |
| 0:42 | Keynote address | Keynote speaker | 20 to 25 minutes on the theme or local history |
| 1:07 | Recognitions | Emcee and presenters | Elders, trailblazers or community leaders, 2 minutes each |
| 1:17 | Closing remarks and thanks | Emcee or host leader | 4 minutes, with what happens next |
| 1:21 | Closing song and dismissal | All | Guests move to the fellowship meal, displays or market |
Black History Month Emcee Script to Copy
Read this as written or adapt it. Bracketed text is yours to fill. It uses an inclusive moment of reflection by default; a church can swap in a prayer.
For transitions, handling a late speaker and general hosting tips, see our emcee script guide, write the keynote introduction with our speaker introduction script, and find more ways to end with thanks in our closing remarks speech examples.
Readings and Black History Month Program Ideas
| Type | Examples by title and author | Suggested reader |
|---|---|---|
| 19th-century speech | "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass; "Ain't I a Woman?" attributed to Sojourner Truth | A high school student or local educator |
| Poem | "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar; "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes | A student or spoken word artist |
| Letter or testament | "My Last Will and Testament" by Mary McLeod Bethune | An elder or retired teacher |
| Memoir or essay excerpt | A short passage from a Black author's memoir, chosen with the reader | A community leader |
| Local history | A church founding story, a first Black graduate or officeholder in your town, written by a local historian | A member of that family or congregation |
| Song | "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, sung rather than printed | Choir, soloist or all |
- A "Who Am I?" segment where youth read clues about a historical figure and the audience guesses
- A living wax museum: students dress as figures and give a one-minute speech when visitors approach
- Honoring local trailblazers, elders and founding members of the church or organization
- A step team, African drum, praise dance or spoken word performance
- A short panel on local Black history with elders and a local historian
- A Black-owned business market or vendor fair before or after the program
- A history display or timeline in the lobby, built by a youth group
- A soul food fellowship meal or potluck afterwards
For a full month of event formats, from film nights to heritage festivals, see our Black History Month event ideas.
Church Order of Service, School Program and Planning Steps
Many churches observe Black History Sunday inside the regular worship service. Keep the usual flow and give the history segments their own place in it.
- 1
Confirm voices early
Book the keynote speaker, guest preacher, musicians and performers six to eight weeks out. February weekends fill quickly with other programs.
- 2
Assign the readings
Pick each reading by title and author, assign a reader and agree on the passage and its length. Check copyright before printing any text.
- 3
Finalize recognitions
Collect honoree names and one-sentence citations two weeks out, and check spellings with each honoree or their family.
- 4
Plan the space around the program
If you add a market, displays or a meal, decide where each goes and how guests get there after the program. Our church event software and community event software pages cover the wider event.
- 5
Rehearse the transitions
Run the full order once with the emcee, readers and sound tech, including microphone handoffs and music cues.