It makes sense that my original definition laid close to this one I think that it’s likely that I derived my ‘rough idea’ for the BHM colours from the Jamaican flag, as that is my heritage, but I wanted to look into if further. Before I began my search for the origin of the BHM colours, I decided to take a sneak peek as to what the Jamaican flag colours symbolise: according to the Government of Jamaica website, ‘black depicts the strength and creativity of the people Gold, the natural wealth and beauty of sunlight and green, hope and agricultural resources'. I have Jamaican heritage, so on a personal level, the colours above felt close to home but slightly different to that of the Jamaican flag (red, gold and green). My initial - very simple - understanding was the following: As businesses added red, black, gold and green to their branding in solidarity, I wondered, why these four colours? What do they stand for? I have always had a rough idea, but when looking for a reliable resource, a definitive symbolic, I discovered that the colours run a little deeper than I thought. What Do the Black History Month Colours Stand For?īlack History Month (BHM) is a whole month dedicated to celebrating, learning and sharing appreciation for Black heritage, and this year has been a year like no other.
