Monday marks the start of Black History Month, a time to reflect on the contributions African Americans have made to the U.S. while recognizing that the fight for racial justice continues.

The theme of Black History Month this year is "The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity."

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) chose the theme, as it does every year: Past themes include "Black Migrations," "Black Women in American Culture and History" and "The Niagara Movement," among others.