Throughout the month of February, Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC join communities across the country in celebrating Black history, honoring Black voices in our sport, and reaffirming our commitment to inclusion, respect, and opportunity for all. But understanding the history behind Black History Month is just as important as celebrating it each year.

Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, is an annual February recognition of the history, achievements, and lasting impact of Black Americans in the United States.

The observance began in 1926 as “Negro History Week,” founded by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland. The goal of creation of the observance was to promote the study and celebration of Black history and to ensure that the contributions of Black Americans were included in the nation’s historical narrative and in classrooms across the country. February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (celebrated February 14) — two figures whose lives and legacies are closely tied to the fight to end slavery in the United States.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the...