How To Celebrate Black History Month at Work Plus 11 Inspiring Poems

Black History Month arrives every February as a chance to honor the stories, voices, and achievements of the African American community. It’s a meaningful time to learn together, share experiences, and celebrate the impact of Black heritage and culture in our workplaces.

Many teams turn to creative activities to spark conversation, and Black history poems can be a powerful part of that. We’ve gathered a selection of inspiring poems to help your team reflect, connect, and build understanding in a thoughtful way.

Alongside these poems, you’ll also find ideas for how to celebrate Black History Month at work. From team building activities to simple ways to create space for learning, these ideas make it easier for adults to engage respectfully and keep the spirit of Black History Month present throughout the workplace.

How to celebrate Black History Month at work

Are you looking for meaningful ways to recognize Black History Month at work? Sharing short Black history poems for Black History Month is a thoughtful place to begin. Poetry opens the door for reflection, conversation, and connection, especially when teams want to learn together in a respectful way.

These poems of Black history represent only a small part of the larger story, but they carry lasting power. Literature helps preserve the voices, experiences, accomplishments, and challenges of the Black community. It creates space for teams to listen, understand, and honor perspectives that deserve to be heard. This foundation makes it easier to explore additional Black History Month activities for adults and find more ways to celebrate Black history at work throughout February and beyond.

TeamBonding Celebrates Black History 

At TeamBonding, we create experiences that help teams learn, grow, and connect. Black History Month is an important moment for workplaces to explore diversity and inclusion in a way that feels engaging, thoughtful, and accessible. Our Diversity and Inclusion Programs are designed to spark meaningful conversations while giving teams a positive, shared experience.

One of our most popular Black History Month activities is Almost Anything Goes: Black History Month Trivia. This interactive event shines a light on the depth and variety of Black history, celebrating the contributions of African American artists, innovators, and trailblazers. Teams explore visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, film, music, and more, all while enjoying friendly competition that brings people together.

Activities like this give teams a fun way to learn from one another, share new perspectives, and build stronger relationships. They help your organization carry forward DEI principles long after Black History Month ends.

11 Inspiring Black History Poems We Love

These inspiring selections are a great place to start if you’re looking for Black history poems for Black History Month. They’re also perfect for featuring in a company newsletter, sharing during team moments, or using as a creative touchpoint while celebrating Black History Month at work. Each poem offers a meaningful way to highlight African American history and spark thoughtful conversations throughout February.

“New Day’s Lyric” by Amanda Gorman

“New Day’s Lyric” was written by Amanda Gorman, the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. Gorman was chosen in 2020 by President Biden to read her poem “The Hill We Climb” for his inauguration in 2021. 

She uses poetry to reflect the current age of oppression, race, feminism, and marginalization. Just in time for 2022, Gorman released “New Day’s Lyric” on Instagram in honor of the new year and to inspire hope and change.

“I, Too” by Langston Hughes

This is one of the most famous poems about Black History. It was written by Langston Hughes, an important writer and figure during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. It encapsulates the deep history of oppression and racism for black men living in America. 

Hughes uses African American history poems to speak out about this blatant discrimination in the 20th century. His poetry conveys that he, too, is just as much an integral part of America despite being constantly pushed aside by the white majority because of the color of his skin.

He speaks on the painful subject of racism while expressing that one day, all will value the beauty and power of African American culture. Although written years ago, this poem embodies how the Black Community felt, and still feels, here in America.

“Caged Bird” Maya Angelou

This poem, published in Maya Angelou’s 1983 poetry collection “Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?” describes the different experiences of two birds. One is caged and suffers due to being held in captivity, while the other is free to live and roam the world with no restraints. 

Because of its harsh reality, the caged bird turns to sing and longs for freedom. Angelou uses this metaphor to express the pain of oppression and highlight the contrasting privileges within our society. It is among the most moving African American poems in history and sadly still rings true today.

“Primer for Blacks” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize. She is one of the most influential poets to come out of the 20th century. 

In this Black History poem, she talks about how vital it is to accept one’s black heritage. By empowering the audience to do so, she believes that a better perception of self-worth will encourage a stronger and more unified future. 

Brooks looks down on the fact that people may believe being white is a great thing and something for all to yearn for. Instead, she asserts that unless individual beliefs are changed, nothing will change at all.

“For My People” by Margaret Walker

Margaret Walker is a poet and novelist from Birmingham, Alabama. In this Black History poem, she addresses the devastating history of slavery and the continuing effects of racism that were and still are endured by people of color. 

This poem was written in the 1930s and expresses how Walker yearns for a better future for children and people of color, where equality and freedom will heal the wounds of the past. This collection of poetry awarded Walker as the first black woman to receive the Yale Series of Younger Poets award.

“Nina’s Blues” by Cornelius Eady

Cornelius Eady is an American writer from Rochester, New York, who focuses most of his writing on jazz and the blues, life, and societal problems that often stem from race and class issues. 

Eady is a co-founder of Cave Canem, a national organization for Black poets and poetry. In this poem, he praises Nina Simone, a legendary singer, performer, and Civil Rights activist.

“Won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton 

In this poem, self-love and perseverance are powerful and evident—it was written by Lucille Clifton, who is known for writing about gender and racial bias in society. Beginning with a call to action, Clifton asks her audience to celebrate her accomplishments with her. 

Despite being a prolific author of literature and renowned poet, she faced a great deal of prejudice and a lack of models to look up to as a black woman. At this time, TV, film roles, and important positions were largely given to white men, leaving Clifton to wonder, “What did I see to be except myself?” 

She focuses on the idea that she herself is the only person responsible for the great accomplishments she has made throughout her life and calls the audience to look at how she got there and celebrate with her.

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou

This poem by Maya Angelou embodies the struggle of dealing with and overcoming racial oppression and prejudice. She dismisses oppressors who might have thought they could stop her from achieving her goals. Its message is consistent with her other work, encouraging and reminding those who face the daily struggles of racism that they will rise up.

“Black is Beautiful” by Shannon D. Brown-Rogers

In this poem, Shannon D. Brown-Rogers tells a story of self-worth. She expresses her love for the color of her own skin in a story of self-acceptance. This is one of the most straightforward and powerful Black History poems around, and it’s always a valuable share at any time of the year. 

With the use of similes, Shannon created a piece that speaks to the happy memories in life and reminds everyone that being black is as beautiful as all of those things. Reminding oneself that Black beauty is timeless creates a timeless and powerful message.

“Short Speech to My Friends” by Amiri Baraka

Amiri Baraka is a Black poet, activist, and scholar. The message of this poem is to raise people’s consciousness and help them see the world and themselves more clearly. He expands on his belief that in order to move forward as a society, we must learn from the oppression and minority of culture that Black people experience every day.

“Green-Thumb Boy” by Marilyn Nelson

This poem was published in Marilyn Nelson’s collection “Carver: A Life of Poems.” It is written about George Washington Carver. Nelson has received several awards for her work, including the Newbery Honor Book Award, Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award, Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award, and Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. 

In this poem, Carver wishes to learn, help, and educate himself so that he can help the poor black farmers in the South. Throughout Carver’s life, he faced several injustices, none of which he let control the fate of his life and his desire to aid other people.

Other Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

If you’re planning activities for Black History Month at work, there are plenty of meaningful ways to honor the achievements and contributions of the Black Community. These ideas make it easier to create a celebration that feels thoughtful, engaging, and relevant for adults in a workplace setting.

Black History Month icebreakers

Black history poems for Black History Month can be used as simple icebreakers or conversation starters. Teams can break into small groups to share reactions, explore themes, or compare favorite lines. You can also invite colleagues to bring in their own favorite Black History Month poetry to spark rich discussion and connection.

Donation drive

A month-long donation drive is a powerful way to support the community. Reach out to Black-led or Black-owned nonprofits and ask what resources would be most helpful. Your team can gather items for local schools, raise funds, or share awareness about the organization’s mission.

Support Black-owned businesses

Another meaningful way to celebrate Black History Month at work is by highlighting Black-owned businesses. Invite local entrepreneurs to join a team meeting, share their stories, or showcase their products. Teams can also purchase from these businesses or include their services in upcoming events.

Host a learning experience

Many teams look for structured ways to learn during February. A guided workshop, speaker session, or diversity team building event can give everyone a shared understanding of Black history and culture. These activities offer examples of teamwork that help strengthen awareness, communication, and connection.

Share stories and spotlights

Invite employees to help curate a list of influential Black leaders, artists, or innovators. Sharing these spotlights in newsletters, team channels, or meetings is an easy way to keep learning going all month long.

It’s helpful to create these activities with intention and openness. Encourage input from your team—especially Black colleagues and those with Black loved ones—to ensure the celebration reflects a broad range of perspectives and experiences. By embracing activities like these, your workplace can honor Black history while building a culture rooted in respect, understanding, and year-round allyship.

Celebrate Black History Month With TeamBonding

These Black history poems are only the beginning. Celebrating culture in the workplace is something we believe should happen year-round, and Black History Month offers a powerful opportunity to learn together in a meaningful way. That’s why we’ve created tailored team building experiences that make it easy for your group to explore, reflect, and connect.

One popular option is our Virtual Museum Scavenger Hunt, which takes teams through key exhibits from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. It’s a fun, interactive way to discover stories, artifacts, and moments that shaped history. We also offer African American history and culture–themed trivia and game shows, including Almost Anything Goes Trivia and Jeopardy!®, both designed to educate and engage through friendly competition.

Contact us today to explore our programs and find the perfect activity to honor Black History Month with your team.