Google has a cool surprise when you search Black History Month today

Today marks the first day of Black History Month in the US - and Google has a fantastic surprise when you look it up on the search engine.

As soon as you type in Black History Month, mutlicoloured digital confetti and the phrase "Say it loud" appear in blue, maroon, yellow and orange boxes floating across the screen.

Check out the picture below:

Black History Month search on GoogleScreenshot

Black History Month, which runs from February 1- March 1, was created in 1926 as a week-long celebration by Carter G. Woodson, the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

And since 1976, US presidents have designated the month of February as Black History Month.

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The month pays tribute and celebrates the achievements of African Americans in history and as a means to recognise their integral part of the fabric of the nation.

Black History Month has also received notoriety and recognition in Canada, and now Ireland and the UK.

The month of February was chosen because the second week of the month celebrates the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th US president (born February 12).

Douglass was a former slave, author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and a significant leader in the abolitionist movement, which sought to put an end to slavery in America. Lincoln was influential in the emancipation of slaves.

As a result, it was a time when African-Americans would hold celebrations to commemorate emancipation.

Unfortunately, Douglass' exact date of birth wasn't recorded, but he came to celebrate it on Valentine's Day (February 14).

Additionally, this year's Black History Month theme is "Black Health and Wellness," with a particular emphasis on improving wellbeing and healthcare access. It will not only acknowledge the legacy of "Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine but also other ways of knowing" such as herbalists, midwives and birth workers, according to ASALH's website.

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