Have you ever wondered why we see flags of red, black and green during Black History Month?

The main BHM flag is the Pan-African flag created in 1920 by Marcus Garvey. The flag is known by many names.

Afro-American Flag
Black Liberation Flag
UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) Flag
Marcus Garvey Flag.

Each color holds significance.

Red stands for the blood uniting all black people around the world and that has been lost to enslavement, colonization and systemic violence.
Black honors black skin and indicates strength.
Green represents the abundance of Africa's vegetation.

The flag was designed to represent those who belong to the African Diaspora and provide a symbol for black liberation in the US.

Pan-African Flag — Alt Text: A drawing of two hands tugging at either end of the red, black and green Pan-African flag.

“The African Diaspora [includes]...people of native African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality...”

- Definition of African Diaspora from the African Union (AU)

Another flag commonly seen during February is the yellow, green and red flag resembling the flag of Ethiopia. This flag is flown to honor Ethiopia's ability to resist colonial take-over and represents pan-African ideals.