COBB COUNTY — Spelman College graduate Ursula Jenkins, in the 1920s, spearheaded the movement to create Marietta’s first black high school.

Since 1926, the contributions to the nation made by prominent black Americans such as Jenkins have been celebrated in February. Historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week with a first celebration on Feb. 12 of that year. As part of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, the week was broadened to Black History Month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We recognize and support February as Black History Month, but for the NAACP, every month is black history month,” Cobb NAACP President Deane Bonner said. “For others, I think it’s certainly an opportune time to recognize significant contributions made by African-Americans in the country — to focus on and appreciate those contributions.”

There are a number of local events planned this month in celebration.

Community:

* Music of the Black Church: A Mini Study Series with featured lecturer/demonstrator Dr. Oral Moses, professor of voice and music literature at Kennesaw State University, will include four programs this month, with the first one, The Negro Spiritual, conducted today. All sessions will be conducted from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Old Zion Heritage Museum, 165 Lemon St. in Marietta. The other lectures and demonstrations will be The Lined Hymn, Feb. 9, Salvation Songs & Church Hymns, Feb. 16, and Gospel, Feb. 23. Participants are asked to fill out an online registration at www.zionbaptistchurchmarietta.org. Go to the museum link.

* Profiles in Black at Turner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Marietta will be a program that focuses on the history of prominent African-Americans. The program will be at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 23.

* South Cobb Regional Library, at 805 Clay Road in Mableton, will host free programs every Wednesday in February at 7 p.m. Quotable Art on Feb. 3 will be a program where participants discuss notable quotes pertaining to Black History Month and make art inspired by that quote. On Feb. 10, participants will decorate quilt squares inspired by influential African-American leaders. The finished quilt will be displayed in the library. The You’ve Got Mail program on Feb. 17 will give participants the opportunity to discuss and make stamps related to black heroes. On Feb. 24, there will be a Black History Month trivia contest. For more information, call (678)398-5828.

* Professional storyteller Chetter Galloway will perform Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Smyrna Library meeting room, 100 Village Green Circle. Galloway said the family program will focus on African-American stories. The event was very popular last year, Galloway and city officials said. Galloway released his first solo recording, “Evil Knows Where Evil Sleeps: Stories from the other side of midnight!” in September 2005.

* Both services on Feb. 14 at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church will focus on black history with special speakers. Rome pastor Nim B. Russell will head the 7:45 p.m. service and U.S. Rep. David Scott, of Smyrna, will lead the 11 a.m. service.

* Cobb NAACP hosts a criminal justice forum at 11 a.m. on Feb. 20 at the Cobb County Public Library, 266 Roswell St. in Marietta. Also, the 41st NAACP Image Awards can be watched at a Cobb NAACP reception at Crown Plaza on Franklin Road in Marietta Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.

Schools:

* Expanding Horizons, a group of underprivileged children identified through the Cobb school system, will take its monthly trip Feb. 20 to Bulloch Hall and Barrington Hall, which are museums in Roswell that focus on black history.

* Storyteller Joanna Maddox will speak at Baker and Garrison Mill elementary schools. She will do two live history programs with a focus on famous African-American women Feb. 4 at Baker. She will focus on civil rights leader Rosa Parks on Feb. 22 at Garrison Mill.

* Throughout the month, Murdock Elementary School students will be writing daily trivia questions about famous black Americans.