Looking for tools and information for American Heart Month, Black History month and other February 2026 dates and events to use in your employee communications? Check out our suggestions! We offer helpful links tools, resources, and sponsor sites.
February is American Heart Month
Coincidentally, February also happens to be the month we celebrate love. While Valentine’s Day often focuses on cards, flowers, and chocolates, it’s also a perfect reminder to take care of something even more important: your heart. Heart disease remains the leading U.S. cause of death for both men and women. Many of the biggest risk factors – stress, poor sleep, inactivity, unhealthy eating, smoking, and anxiety – are closely tied to everyday habits and emotional well-being. That’s why American Heart Month isn’t just about cholesterol numbers or blood pressure checks; it’s about lifestyle, mental health, and making small, sustainable changes that support long-term health.
Valentine’s Day adds another layer of meaning. Caring for your heart isn’t just an act of self-love, it’s also a gift to the people who depend on you and care about you. Whether you’re in a relationship, caring for family members, or supporting friends and colleagues, your health matters to more than just you.
February is a great time to check in with yourself. Are you managing stress in healthy ways? Getting enough rest? Feeling overwhelmed? And for ESI members, your EAP offers confidential help for stress management, emotional well-being, lifestyle coaching, relationship concerns, and more, at no cost to you.
Find more resources on Heart Month and heart health at The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Black History Month
The February 2026 Black History Month theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” This is a fitting theme because it marks 100 years since Dr. Carter G. Woodson .and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) initiated what was then celebrated a the first Negro History Week in 1926. In 1969, Black educators and students at Kent State University proposed Black History Month, with the first celebration taking place in 1970. In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial.
For more information and resources:
- Black History Month Media Toolkit.
- Black History Month – Events, exhibits and historical resources from The Smithsonian
- Journey of Black History Month – Exhibit from the Smithsonian
- Afro-Atlantic Histories – Lessons & Activities from the National Gallery of Art
- Wikipedia on Black History Month
- 2026 Marks The 100th Anniversary Of Black History Month: A Brief History
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
February is marked as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) with the 2026 theme being “Real Love Respects.” According to event sponsors:
“Teen dating violence is more common than many people think. One in three teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults. And nearly half (43%) of college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month aims to educate young people on the prevalence of dating violence and how they can prevent it.”
Resources:
Other Key February Dates
2/2 – Groundhog Day
2/6 – National Wear Red Day
2/14 – Valentine’s Day
2/14 – National Donor Day
2/15-2/20 – Random Act of Kindness Week
2/16 – Presidents’ Day (aka “Washington’s Birthday”)
2/23-3/1 – National Eating Disorders Awareness Week