Black History Month is an annually observed commemorative month originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month and was formerly known as Negro History Month before 1976. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora, initially lasting a week before becoming a month-long observation since 1970. It is celebrated in February in the United States and Canada, where it has received official recognition from governments, but more recently has also been celebrated in Ireland and the United Kingdom where it is observed in October.