Black History Month: How to Help Children Celebrate Cultural Pride and Reimagine Resilience

COLUMBUS, Ohio (February 4, 2025) – February is Black History Month, a time to reflect upon the achievements of Black people throughout history, inspire and empower future generations, and foster pride.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), building children’s cultural pride can have a positive impact on their mental health. Experts with The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by the behavioral health professionals at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, recommend families recognize Black History Month by reimagining resilience and celebrating cultural pride.

“Reflecting on the resilience of Black people across history highlights the strength, determination and creativity that can be helpful in managing daily challenges and overcoming obstacles,” said Whitney Raglin Bignall, PhD, associate clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Although being resilient will not stop children from experiencing strong emotions and negative life events, parents and caregivers can provide children tools to help recognize their strengths and manage stress, and when to rest to prevent burnout.”

Dr. Raglin Bignall recommends the following ways to support Black children’s resiliency and build positive coping skills:

• Celebrate cultural pride. Share stories that inspire, support and uplift Black culture. Ideas include sharing inspiring stories that highlight the beauty, strength, talents and contributions of trailblazers throughout history.
• Encourage and nurture a positive self-view. Develop a positive identity by engaging with family and community and participating in fun activities relevant to your family’s culture. Provide positive self-affirmation statements to uplift and build your child’s self-confidence.
• Identify and praise your child’s resilience. Discuss a recent example of your child overcoming a challenge at home or at school. Praise your child for demonstrating positive character traits during this challenge. Celebrate your child’s resilience and emphasize how this experience will help your child in the future.

“Children who grow up without learning about their background are more likely to believe negative stereotypes about their race or ethnicity,” said Dr. Raglin Bignall. “They may be less resilient than their peers who strongly identify with their race or culture, so Black History Month is a great time to start having these important conversations.”

For more resources, please visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, more than 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation’s free educational videos, guides and curriculum. Launched in 2018 as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, the organization recently expanded its mission as The Kids Mental Health Foundation to reflect the belief that emotional and physical wellbeing should be treated the same. To date, more than 18 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, empowering parents, caregivers, educators, coaches and employers as the guiding force for children’s mental health all across the United States.