February is Black History Month, celebrating black accomplishments, contributions, traditions, and joy while paying tribute to the adversity both in years past and currently. This year, black history month runs from February 1-29. Incorporating Black History Month into a nonprofit organization’s text messaging campaign can be a powerful way to engage with supporters, educate them on these important issues, and drive positive future action.
Here at Tatango, we’ve put together a round-up of the top types of text messages to send during Black History Month.
1. Educational Content
- Daily Facts: Send out daily or weekly texts with significant facts about Black history, achievements, and key figures to educate and inspire your audience.
- Storytelling: Share stories of notable Black individuals, contributions, or moments in history that align with your nonprofit’s mission, using text messages to link to more detailed content on your website or social media.
2. Event Promotion
- Virtual Events: If your organization is hosting a virtual event, such as LinkedIn Live or an exclusive webinar, texting your supporters about the details for the events is a great way to engage with them directly and encourage them to attend your event. For example, you could promote virtual events such as webinars, panel discussions, or online exhibitions related to Black History Month. Use text messages to send reminders or links to register or join the event, or to send last-minute updates such as a link to join the event.
- Community Events: For nonprofits involved in local communities, use text messages to inform supporters about local Black History Month events, such as museum exhibits, cultural festivals, or community service opportunities.
3. Fundraising Campaigns
- Support Organizations that exist to honor or impact the Black community:: Launch a fundraising campaign via text to support these nonprofits, community projects, or educational initiatives. Provide a direct link for easy donation.
- Matching Gift Campaigns: Encourage donations by partnering with sponsors for matching gift campaigns specifically aimed at supporting causes that uplift Black communities during Black History Month.
4. Calls to Action
- Advocacy Campaigns: Use text messaging to mobilize supporters for advocacy campaigns related to racial justice, equity, and policy changes. Include links to petitions or guides on how to contact legislators.
- Volunteering Opportunities: Send texts about volunteering opportunities with organizations that work towards racial equality and support Black communities.
5. Cultural Celebrations
- Highlight Black Art and Literature: Share texts that celebrate Black artists, musicians, writers, and creators, including links to virtual galleries, readings, or performances. Celebrating these artists and writers is a great way to highlight their accomplishments and contributions to society.
- Music and Film Recommendations: If your organization’s goal is to educate society about black history, particularly in music and film, there are several texts you could send.
- Recommend films, documentaries, and music celebrating Black culture
- Provide resources to specific artists or other additional online resources.
- Share a hyperlink to a video or a playlist featuring Black artists.
- Engagement and Feedback
- Interactive Quizzes and Polls: Engage your audience with interactive content such as quizzes about Black history or polls on topics related to racial justice, using text messages to collect responses. Encourage them to respond to your texts to open up a dialogue about these important topics and issues.
- Feedback Requests: Ask for feedback on how your organization can better support racial justice initiatives or improve its programming related to Black history and culture.
7. Resource Sharing
- Educational Resources: Provide links to educational materials, reading lists, and resources for further learning about Black history and current social issues.
- Support Resources: Share information about mental health, legal aid, and other support services for Black community members, using text messaging as a direct line of communication.
By integrating Black History Month themes into text messaging campaigns, nonprofits can raise awareness and educate their audience, foster a sense of community, and drive meaningful action toward the positive changes and equality we collectively seek. It’s important to approach these campaigns with sensitivity and a commitment to genuine support for Black history and culture.
